EXCHANGE 


nf  (Enntterttnit 

PUBLIC  DOCUMENT— SPECIAL 


REPORT 


ON    THE 


INVESTIGATION 


OF   THE 


POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS 


BY    THE 


State  Board  of   Health 

Under  Authority  of  Chapter  220, 
Public  Act  of  1913. 


±  ,  i stated  to  th*  General  Assembly  of  1915. 


HARTFORD 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  STATE 


c  6, 


PUBLICATION 

APPROVED  BY 

THE  BOARD  OF  CONTROL 


MERIDEN,    CONN. 

JOURNAL,  PUBLISHING  CO. 

1915 


uf  (Entttwrttrut 

STATE  BOARD  OF  HEALTH, 

Hartford,  December  23,  1914. 
To  THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  OF  1915 : 

The  State  Board  of  Health  which  was  ordered  by  the  last 
Legislature  under  Chapter  220,  Public  Acts  of  1913,  to  in- 
vestigate the  subject  of  stream  pollution  and  report  to  this 
General  Assembly,  submits  the  following  report: 

Chapter  220,  Public  Acts  of  1913,  reads  as  follows : 

"AN    ACT    CONCERNING   THE   POLLUTION    OF    WATERS. 

By  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General  Assembly 
Convened: 

"Section  1.  The  State  Board  of  Health  shall  have  general 
oversight  of  all  inland  and  tidal  waters,  including  streams, 
lakes,  and  ponds  used  as  sources  of  water  supply,  and  all 
springs,  streams,  and  water  courses  tributary  thereto. 

"Sec.  2.  The  State  Board  of  Health  ,  shall  investigate  the 
subject  of  the  pollution  of  waters  within  this  state  by  sewage 
or  other  filth  and  recommend  to  the  next  General  Assembly 
such  legislation  as  will  lead  to  the  termination  of  all  such  pol- 
lution. 

"Approved,  June  5,  1913." 

The  board,  at  a  regular  meeting  held  July  8,  1913,  voted 
to  place  the  investigation  in  the  hands  of  a  committee  con- 
sisting of  Mr.  J.  Frederick  Jackson,  chairman,  Dr.  Edward  K. 
Root,  Dr.  J.  H.  Townsend  and  Mr.  Lewis  Sperry,  and  the 
work  has  been  done  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Jackson,  the 
engineer  member  of  the  state  board  of  health,  assisted  by 
Mr.  R.  C.  Meeker. 


4  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

It  was  decided  that  the  scope  of  the  present  investigation 
should  include  all  rivers  of  appreciable  size  and  the  collection 
of  the  following  statistics  relating  to  them  : 

Stream  flow. 

Tributary  streams. 

Cities  and  towns  on  water  sheds. 

Population  of  water  sheds. 

Sewerage  systems  on  water  sheds. 

Manufacturing  wastes   discharged   into   streams. 

Analysis  of  river  water. 

Samples  of  water  to  be  collected  at  each  town,  one  above 
and  one  below  all  points  of  pollution,  and  between  towns  at 
an  average  distance  of  one  mile  apart. 

The  Laboratory  work  to  determine  dissolved  oxygen  and 
presumptive  tests  for  B.  Coli. 

On  July  26th,  1914,  the  actual  field  work  was  started  arid 
the  major  portion  completed  by  September.  The  collection 
of  statistics  of  the  towns  and  cities  on  the  different  water- 
sheds involved  a  great  deal  of  correspondence,  and  the  Board 
wishes  to  acknowledge  its  indebtedness  to  the  U.  S.  Geologi- 
cal Survey ;  U.  S.  Weather  Bureau ;  U.  S.  Public  Health  Ser- 
vice;  the "  State  Boards  of  Health  of  Massachusetts,  New 
Hampshire  and  Vermont ;  the  Fish  &  Game  Commission  of 
this  state,  which  kindly  furnished  the  use  of  its  launches, 
and  the  different  city  engineers  and  local  health  boards,  and 
to  Professor  Conn  and  his  assistants,  whose  co-operation  and 
assistance  at  the  State  Laboratory  has  been  invaluable. 

Connecticut,  as  will  be  seen  from  a  glance  at  the  accom- 
panying map,  is  a  network  of  rivers.  The  natural  drainage 
is  controlled  by  the  physiographic  division  of  a  highland 
west  of  a  line  running  from  New  Haven  to  North  Granby ; 
a  highland  between  Rhode  Island  and  a  line  through  Rock- 
ville,  Glastonbury,  Middletown  and  Branford ;  and  a  lowland 
occupying  the  remainder  of  the  area.  The  three  main  river 
systems  are  the  Connecticut,  Housatonic  and  Thames,  which 
together  drain  about  70  per  cent,  of  the  area  of  the  state. 
The  rivers  extending  beyond  the  boundaries  of  the  state  are 
the  Housatonic,  Connecticut,  Farmington,  Quinnebaug, 
Five  Mile,  Scantic,  Moosup,  French  and  Ten  Mile  River,  which 
last  is  almost  entirely  in  New  York.  The  shore  line  is  indented 
by  numerous  bays  and  tidal  estuaries,  and  adjoining  it  are  many 
salt  marshes.  In  the  interior  are  many  swamps  and  numerous 
lakes. 

All  rivers  entering  the  Sound  are  tidal,  which  fact  is  of  con- 
siderable importance  in  providing  an  additional  volume  of 
water  for  dilution.  The  rivers  of  the  highlands  have  steep 
gradients  and  their  flow  is  interrupted  by  numerous  dams 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


6  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

and  mill  ponds,  while  the  rivers  of  the  lowlands  have  a  slight 
fall  and  the  dams  and  rapids  are  not  nearly  so  frequent.  The 
flow  of  the  streams  is  variable  and  in  most  years  there  is  a 
period  of  four  to  six  months  when  the  flow  is  below  normal, 
while  in  some  of  the  smaller  ones  there  is  scarcely  any  flow. 

The  population  of  the  state  is  grouped  into  three  distinct 
areas.  First,  about  28  per  cent,  along  the  large  rivers  of  the 
central  portion  of  the  state.  Second,  about  33  per  cent,  on 
the  shores  of  Long  Island  Sound.  Third,  about  26  per  cent, 
along  the  rivers  in  the  highland  areas,  as  the  Farmington, 
Naugatuck  and  Willimantic,  etc.  The  remaining  13  per  cent. 
is  distributed  among  the  hill  towns  and  other  towns  remote 
from  the  railroads  and  large  streams. 

The  pollution  of  streams  is  a  question  which  has  occa- 
sioned more  or  less  agitation  and  litigation  since  mankind 
forsook  the  nomadic  life  and  began  to  dwell  in  cities  and 
towns.  Serious  consideration  of  the  subject  began  with  the 
raising  of  the  Royal  Sewage  Commission  in  Great  Britain 
in  1865.  This  commission  has  published  many  valuable  re- 
ports and  directed  considerable  beneficial  legislation.  In  this 
country  the  states  of  Ohio,  Illinois,  New  York,  New  Jersey 
and  Massachusetts  have  made  careful  study  of  the  problem 
and  have  enacted  legislation,  more  or  less  restrictive  in  char- 
acter, to  control  it. 

The  subject  may  be  considered  from  two  viewpoints,  de- 
pending on  whether  the  stream  in  question  is  used,  or  is 
likely  to  be  used,  as  a  source  of  public  water  supply,  when 
in  a  strictly  sanitary  sense  the  presence  of  pathogenic  bac- 
teria in  the  water  and  their  direct  menace  to  public  health  is 
paramount ;  or  the  violation  of  common  decency  by  the  crea- 
tion of  nuisances,  from  the  presence  in  the  stream  of  large 
quantities  of  organic  matter.  With  the  first  we  are,  in  this 
investigation,  but  indirectly  concerned.  Most  of  the  rivers 
examined  are  not  used  as  a  source  of  public  water  supply 
without  some  attempt  at  purification. 

Therefore,  though  we  cannot  say  that  the  condition  of  the 
rivers  most  polluted  is  directly  affecting  the  health  of  any 
community,  we  know  that  in  many  instances  it  is  offensive 
to  the  sense  of  decency  and  that  it  threatens  the  existence  of 
major  fish  life,  which  is  a  source  of  revenue  and  a  means  of 
sustenance  to  many  hundreds  of  citizens  of  the  state.  The 
improvement  of  these  conditions  is  not  impossible  nor  would 
the  expense  be  excessive,  if  remedial  action  is  taken  in  time; 
the  longer  it  is  delayed  the  greater  the  cost  will  be. 

The  principal  agent  in  disposing-  of  organic  matter  in  the 
streams  is  biological  oxidation.  This  is  accomplished  pri- 
marily by  innumerable  bacteria  breaking  down  and  reducing 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  7 

the  organic  wastes  to  their  component  parts,  which  are 
largely  simple  inocuous  gases.  These  bacteria  are  of  two 
general  types,  those  requiring  a  considerable  supply  of  oxy- 
gen for  their  existence  and  so  termed  aerobic,  and  those 
growing  and  multiplying  in  the  absence  of  oxygen  and  called 
anaerobic.  The  work  of  the  aerobic  bacteria  is  most  com- 
plete and  is  not  markedly  evident  to  the  sense  of  sight  or 
smell,  since  the  gases  produced  are  not  objectionable.  The 
work  of  the  anaerobic  bacteria  is  called  putrefaction,  it  is 
less  complete  and  is  generally  accompanied  by  the  evolution 
of  foul  smelling  gases  and  discoloration  of  the  water.  When 
the  flow  of  the  stream  is  large,  naturally  the  supply  of  oxy- 
gen is  greater,  and  the  oxidizing  of  the  organic  matter  progresses 
without  producing  offensive  conditions ;  where  the  flow  is  small, 
or  for  any  reason  the  supply  of  oxygen  is  cut  off,  the  organic 
matter  is  not  completely  oxidized  and  nuisances  are  created.  In 
this  connection  just  a  word  in  relation  to  self-purification  of 
streams. 

It  has  always  been  assumed  that  given  a  sufficient  volume  of 
water  and  velocity  of  flow  a  river  would  in  time  take  care  of  any 
amount  of  wastes  discharged  into  it.  Since  the  important  part  that 
oxygen  performs  in  the  work  of  purification  has  been  recognized, 
it  has  been  found  that  not  only  must  there  be  volume  and  velocity, 
but  also  time,  as  a  function  rather  than  distance,  must  be  consider- 
ed. In  other  words  in  any  stream  receiving  pollution  at  a  given 
point  the  process  goes  on  something  like  this.  The  sewage 
and  manufacturing  wastes  having  been  dispersed  in  the  wa- 
ter, the  organic  matter  immediately  begins  to  take  up  the 
oxygen  contained  therein  and  this  proceeds  until  the  organic 
matter  is  completely  oxidized  or  until  the  supply  of  oxygen 
in  the  water  is  completely  exhausted.  While  the  supply  of 
oxygen  in  the  water  is  being  depleted  it  is  gradually  drawing 
and  storing  more  oxygen  from  the  air.  The  rate  at  which 
absorption  proceeds  is  variable,  depending  on  conditions  of 
temperature,  wind,  depth  of  water,  etc.,  so  long  as  the  sup- 
ply of  oxygen  in  the  water  is  sufficient  to  oxidize  the  organic 
matter  no  objectional  conditions  will  result.  When,  from 
any  cause  the  amount  of  oxygen  falls  below  a  certain  pro- 
portion, the  organic  matter  is  not  completely  disposed  of,  and 
foul  gases  and  discoloration  of  the  water  accompanied  by  a 
large  mortality  among  major  fish  life  result.  Now  then,  if 
the  amount  of  oxygen  in  the  river  at  the  point  considered 
were  ample  to  take  care  of  the  pollution,  after  a  certain 
length  of  time  it  would  disappear  completely.  But  let  us  go 
a  step  further,  suppose  a  short  distance  below  the  point  we 
are  considering,  the  river  receives  an  addition  of  sewage  and 
wastes  and  that  the  elapsed  time  is  not  sufficient  to  dispose  of 


8  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

that  already  received ;  we  then  have  an  additional  burden 
placed  on  the  purifying  powers  of  the  river  which  it  is  not 
able  to  meet.  If  we  continue  this  reasoning  we  can  see  why 
a  river  receiving  pollution  at  points  relatively  close  together 
will  soon  be  in  a  very  bad  condition.  If  between  the  points 
of  pollution  the  volume  of  the  river  is  increased  by  the  flow 
of  a  tributary,  its  capacity  for  disposing  of  pollution  is  in- 
creased, provided  the  tributary  itself  is  not  already  so  pol- 
luted that,  instead  of  helping,  it  acentuates  conditions  al- 
ready bad  by  the  amount  of  its  pollution. 

When  the  flow  of  the  stream  is  not  sufficient  to  take  care 
of  the  pollution  by  dilution  it  is  evidenced  by  floating  matters 
objectional  to  the  sight  and  the  formation  of  foul  smelling 
sludge  banks.  These  banks  occur  particularly  in  streams 
where  the  dry  weather  flow  is  very  small ;  if  the  stream  is, 
deep  and  its  volume  of  flow  large,  they  are  not  so  noticeable 
except  in  the  vicinity  of  sewer  outlets  which  do  not  extend 
out  to  the  current  of  the  river,  or  on  the  bottom  of  mill  ponds 
when  the  water  is  drawn  down. 

There  is  considerable  difference  of  opinion  between  author- 
ities as  to  the  stream  flow  necessary  for  proper  dilution,  but 
it  may  be  safely  said  that  with  a  flow  of  four  to  six  cubic  feet 
per  second  to  each  1,000  persons  contributing,  together  with 
adequate  dispersion,  no  nuisance  will  occur,  provided,  the 
sewage  does  not  contain  over  fifteen  parts  per  100,000  of  sus- 
pended matter,  in  which  case  it  would  require  a  flow  as  high 
as  fourteen  cubic  feet  per  second  per  1,000  persons. 

When  the  stream  is  receiving  large  quantities  of  trade 
waste  the  conditions  are  changed.  The  elimination  of  or- 
ganic matter  as  stated  is  accomplished  through  the  work  of 
numerous  bacteria,  and  some  trade  wastes  not  only  impede 
this  process  by  the  complex  nature  of  their  ingredients  which 
resist  the  breaking  down  process,  but  often  the  wastes  con- 
tain acids  which  have  a  sterilizing  effect  and  destroy  the  bac- 
teria entirely. 

Again  oxygen  is  essential  for  the  preservation  of  major  fish 
life.  Some  differences  exist  as  to  the  amount  of  oxygen  nec- 
essary, but  it  is  generally  agreed  that  below  30  per  cent,  saturation 
it  is  impossible  for  larger  fish  life  to  survive. 

We  have  tried  to  describe  briefly  the  part  that  oxygen  takes 
in  assisting  the  rivers  to  dispose  of  the  organic  matter  they 
receive,  in  order  to  explain  why  the  measure  of  dissolved 
oxygen  is  a  reliable  index  of  the  ability  of  the  river  to  purify 
itself,  and  because  it  is  the  method  most  generally  used  now 
in  investigations  of  stream  pollution.  In  the  tabulations  the  time 
factor  is  recognized  in  the  two  determinations  for  dissolved  oxy- 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  9 

gen,  one  made  immediately  after*  collecting  the  samples,  the  other 
after  a  period  of  twenty-four  hours. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  the  consideration  of  the  rivers 
themselves.  The  method  adopted  can,  we  believe,  be  fol- 
lowed readily.  Each  river  with  its  tributaries  is  treated  sep- 
arately. First,  there  is  a  short  description  of  its  general 
characteristics  and  its  condition,  followed  by  tabulations  of 
sampling  stations,  dissolved  oxygen,  statistics  of  towns  on  it 
and  such  diagrams  and  photographs  as  are  necessary  to  make 
clear  the  results  of  the  investigation. 


IO 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  CONNECTICUT  RIVER. 

The  Connecticut  River  drainage  basin  extends  over  four 
New  England  states,  Connecticut,  Massachusetts,  New 
Hampshire  and  Vermont.  Its  total  area  is  about  11,085 
square  miles,  of  which  about  1,525  square  miles  lie  in  Connecticut, 
It  rises  in  the  Connecticut  Lakes  in  northern  New  Hampshire 
and  flows  southerly  a  distance  of  about  340  miles,  forming  part 
of  the  boundary  line  between  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont. 
It  then  crosses  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  and  enters 
Long  Island  Sound  at  Saybrook.  In  Connecticut  from  the 
state  line  to  Middletown  it  flows  through  a  broad  valley  of 
sandstone  formation.  At  Middletown ,  it  enters  a  gorge  like 
valley  of  crystalline  rock  formation  and  flows  southeast  to 
the  Sound.  From  Enfield  Rapids  to  Hartford  the  river  has 
a  fall  of  about  six-tenths  of  a  foot  to  the  mile,  from  Hartford  to 
Saybrook  there  is  practically  no  fall. 


CONNECTICUT    RIVER,    HARTFORD. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


II 


The  river  receives  little  sewage  from  New  Hampshire  and 
Vermont,  though  there  are  many  factories  on  or  near  its 
banks  which  discharge  their  wastes  into  it.  In  Massachu- 
setts the  principal  sources  of  pollution  are  Turners  Falls, 
which  has  several  paper  mills ;  Amherst,  a  part  of  whose  sew- 
age is  treated ;  numerous  factories  in  the  villages  of  Wil- 
liamsburg,  Haydensville,  Baystate,  Leeds  and  the  City  of 
Northampton.  Holyoke  contributes  a  considerable  amount 
to  the  pollution  of  the  river,  as  does  the  village  of  South  Hacl- 
ley.  Below,  the  river  receives  all  the  sewage  of  Chicopee, 
Springfield  and  the  town  of  Longmeadow.  The  effect  of  all 
this  pollution  is  not. as  great  at  the  state  line  as  would  be 
expected,  though  the  percentage  of  oxygen,  as  shown  by  the 
analyses,  approaches  dangerously  near  the  limit  necessary  to 
preserve  major  fish  life. 


CONNECTICUT     RIVER,     HARTFORD. 


12 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


In  Connecticut  the  river  receives  some  pollution  from  the 
paper  and  silk  mills  at  Windsor  Locks,  the  distilleries  at 
Warehouse  Point,  and  the  textile  works  at  Thompsonville. 

At  Hartford  the  river  receives  practically  all  the  sewage  of 
the  city  and  the  wastes  from  numerous  factories.  The  sew- 
age enters  the  river  through  six  outlets. 


CONNECTICUT    RIVER,    HARTFORD. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


The  other  main  sources  of  pollution  are  the  City  of  Middle- 
town,  which  discharges  most  of  its  wastes  and  sewage  into 
it  through  fourteen  outlets ;  and  factory  wastes  from  Higganum, 
Chester  and  Deep  River,  and  it  is  undoubtedly  polluted  to 
some  extent  by  the  boats  which  ply  up  and  down  it. 


CONNECTICUT    RIVER,    MIDDLE    HADDAM. 


14  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

Considerable  pollution  is  also  contributed  to  the  river  by 
its  tributaries,  the  Scantic,  Farmington,  Park,  Hockanum, 
Sebethe  and  Salmon  Rivers.  But  as  each  of  these  is  treated 
separately  they  need  not  be  considered  here. 


CONNECTICUT    RIVER,    MIDDLETOWN. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


i6 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


ESTIMATED      POPULATION 


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REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


CONNECTICUT    STATE     BOARD     OF     ntALTh 

REPORT    TO    GENERAL    ASSEMBLY   ON    STREAM    POLLUTE 

MAP  SHOWING  DRAINAGE  ARtA 

CONNECTICUT   RIVER 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

imple  Number 

c 

o 

amporature 
sntigrade 

amperature 
ahrenheit 

| 

issolved  Oxygen 
arts  Per  Million 

sr  Cent.  Saturation  j 

w 

Q 

K 

HO 

Hfc 

o 

Qfn 

OH 

Opposite  Saybrook  Point   

13 

7/27 

10:10 

23 

73 

0 

2.14 

27 

A 

3.74 

47 

At   R.   R.   Bridge,   Saybrook   Junction.  . 

14 

7/27 

10:20 

23 

73 

2 

1.96 

22 

A 

3.47 

39 

Opposite    Nott    Island    

15 

7/27 

10:50 

26 

79 

6 

2.0 

24 

A 

3.3 

40 

Below  Eight  Mile  River  Cove  

16 

7/27 

11:50 

27 

81 

2.04 

25 

A 

3.3 

40 

Above  Eight  Mile  River  Cove  

17 

7/27 

1:00 

24 

75 

8 

1.87 

21 

A 

2.49 

29 

Below    Deep    River     

18 

7/27 

1:20 

22 

72 

1.82 

20 

A 

2.0 

22 

Below    Chester    

19 

7/27 

1:25 

22 

72 

1.51 

17 

A 

1.96 

22 

Below    Hadlyme   Landing    

20 

7/27 

1:40 

23 

73 

3 

1.42 

16 

A 

2.6 

29 

At    Tylerville     

21 

7/27 

2  :00 

23 

73 

1.24 

14 

A 

1.69 

19 

At   Salmon    Cove    

22 

7/27 

2:10 

23 

73 

2 

1.42 

16 

A 

1.78 

20 

Below   Higganum    

23 

7/27 

2:45 

23 

73 

2 

1.16 

13 

A 

1.42 

16 

Opposite    Middle    Haddam     

24 

7/27 

3:15 

23 

73 

4 

1.40 

16 

A 

2.0 

23 

Opposite   South   Farms    

25 

7/27 

3.55 

24 

75 

10 

1.33 

15 

A 

2.40 

28 

At  Highway   Bridge,   Middletown    .... 

26 

7/28 

10:00 

25 

77 

2 

2.3 

27 

A 

1.65 

19 

Above   Willow   Island    

27 

7/28 

10:20 

25 

77 

5 

2.1 

25 

A 

3.22 

38 

Below    Cromwell     

28 

7/28 

10:25 

25 

77 

1 

1.56 

18 

A 

3.4 

40 

Below    Rocky   Hill    

29 

7/28 

11:15 

24 

75 

32 

1.74 

20 

A 

3.05 

35 

Above   Roaring  Brook    

30 

7/28 

11  :35 

24 

75 

0 

2.02 

23 

A 

2.57 

30 

Opposite    Keeney    Cove    

31 

7/28 

12  :05 

24 

75 

1 

2.85 

33 

A 

2.48 

29 

Below   Hockanum   River    

32 

7/28 

12:30 

24 

75 

1 

2.1 

24 

A 

3.22 

37 

Below    Park    River,    Hartford     

33 

7/28 

12:55' 

24 

75 

3 

2.95 

34 

A 

2.48 

29 

Above    Park    River    

34 

7/28 

1:00 

24 

75 

2 

2.85 

33 

A 

2.85 

33 

At    Highway    Bridge,    Hartford    

35 

7/28 

1:05 

24 

75 

22 

2.39 

28 

A 

3.13 

36 

At  Railroad  Bridge,  Hartford    

36 

7/29 

11  :30 

24 

75 

42 

3.02 

35 

A 

2.75 

32 

At    Bissel's    Ferry    

39 

7/29 

4:10 

24 

75 

13 

3.94 

46 

A 

5.68 

66 

Below    Windsor     Locks     

40 

7/29 

4:35 

24 

75 

16 

2.65 

31 

A 

3.94 

46 

Above  Windsor  Locks  at  R.  R.  Bridge 

41 

7/29 

5:05 

24 

75 

5 

3.57 

41 

A 

4.12 

48 

Below    Thompsonbille     

42 

7/29 

5:45 

24 

75 

1 

2.75 

32 

A 

t 

1  1.37 

16 

At    State    Line    

43 

7/29 

6:00 

24 

75 

3 

3.48 

40 

20 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population  1914 

Sewerage 
System 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

CO 

Statistics  of  Manufactures. 

go 

J)  I 
1  I  1  1  III       j 

•?      §      ~      t£      ^     ^       ^              —  • 
+3       t>      •                                   v       O<      o3 

Illplllll 

Breweries 
Quarries 

Old  Saybrook,         300 
Essex,                      2,831 
Deep   River,             500 
Chester,                 1,455 
Higganum,                800 
Middletown,        13,204 
Portland,                3,253 
Cromwell,                  400 
Rocky    Hill,              300 
Glastonbury,             600 
Hartford            105,541 
Warehouse    Pt.,      400 
Windsor  Locks,  3,976 
Thompsonville,     4,000 

None 
Partial 
Factory 
Partial 
Partial 
Complete 
Partial 
Factory 
Factory 
Factory 
Complete 
Factory 
Partial 
Partial 

0 
1,000 
50 
500 
300 
12,000 
2,000 
50 
100 
300 
105,000 
200 
3,000 
3,000 

1 

2 

1 

4 

1 

3 

3 

2 

1    .  . 

..      1     2    .. 

1      6 
3 

'•    '? 

1 

2 

1 

2 

1 

'i 

1 

5 

5    .. 
2 

1173 

..    12 

3    .. 

2 
3 

4 

4 

.  .      4 

Total, 


137,560 


127,500     5  13     72129  10     2  42     32 


THE  SCANTIC  RIVER. 

The  Scantic  River  enters  the  Connecticut  River  from  the  east 
above  Windsor.  Its  total  drainage  area  is  about  114  square  miles, 
about  25  square  miles  of  which  are  in  the  state  of  Massachusetts. 
It  is  a  rapid  stream  with  considerable  fall,  particularly  at  Hazard- 
ville.  Below  Scantic  and  Broad  Brook  the  river  is  badly  discol- 
ored, presumably  by  the  wastes  from  the  mills  at  these  places. 
The  river  also  receives  some  pollution  from  the  factories  at  Haz- 
ardville. 


MASSACHU  S  tT  TVS 


CONNECTICUT  STATE  BOARD  OF  HEALTH 

REPORT  TO 'GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  ON  STREAM  POLLUTION 

MAP  SHOWING  THE  DRAINAGE  AREA 

SCANTIC      RIVER 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


21 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


!£      S 

n-*  3 


Location 


jl> 

"o. 

8 

cS 

w 

0) 

ei 

Q 

1 

§§, 

§g 

a 

"o 
o 

|S 

a 
a> 
O 

<D 

Mouth 

281 

11/10 
11/10 
11/10 
11/10 
11/10 
11/10 
11/10 

10:00 
11:00 
12:00 
1:30 
2:15 
3:25 
4:50 

6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 

43 
43 
43 
43 
43 

12 
11 
5 
3 
5 
8 

6.11 
5.56 
5.75 
5.93 
6.54 
7.39 
6.93 
8.85 
5.47 
6.29 
7.57 
6.39 

7i57 

48 
44 
46 
47 
52 
59 
55 
70 
43 
50 
60 
51 
69 
60 

Below    Scantic    

A 
282 

A 
283 

At    Hazardville     

A 
284 

At   Scitico    

A 
285 

At    Somersville, 
State    Line 

A 
286 
A 
287 

A 

Statistics  of 

rH 

Manufactures 
a? 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

si 

8, 

s  1 

i 

1 

"3"S 

as  d 

1-3 

*! 

S  C$3 

0> 

n^ 

+3  a 

+2  ^  n 

ex 

X 

W  O 

w  cu  o 

03 

HCU 

O)CQ 

E" 

Scantic 

300 

None 

o 

Broad    Brook    .  .  . 

400 

Factory 

200 

1 

Hazardville     .... 

400 

Factory 

200 

1 

Scitico 

200 

Factory 

100                        1 

Somersville       .  .  . 

200 

Factory 

100 

1 

Somers     

200 

None 

0 

Total      

.  .  .    1,700 

600                       1 

3 

THE  FARMINGTON  RIVER. 

The  Farmington  River  enters  the  Connecticut  River  from  the 
west  at  Windsor.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  590  square 
miles,  of  which  about  100  square  miles  are  in  Massachusetts.  It 
is  a  very  swift  stream  flowing  through  a  region  of  sandstone  for- 
mation and  having  a  fall  of  about  thirty  feet  to  the  mile  from 
Cold  Springs,  Mass.,  to  New  Hartford. 


22 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


3oo 


J! 


To 

60 

C*  *> 
*&  ~ 
II  * 

^^       2o 


looo 


s! 


•*    ///«  > 

Tesr          ' 


V 


5  lo  \5 

SCAWTIC    RIVCR 


loo 

To 

fco 
So 


Zooo 


-Too 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


The  sources  of  pollution  are  the  sewage  and  factory  wastes 
from  Windsor,  Foquonock,  Rainbow,  Tarifrville,  Simsbury, 
Farmington,  Unionville,  Collinsville  and  New  Hartford. 

The  flow  is  variable  and  during  the  low  six  months  when  the 
flow  is  held  back  by  dams  at  the  several  towns  there  is  very  little 


FARMINGTON   RIVER,   UNIONVILLE. 

water  in  some  parts  of  the  river.  However,  these  dams  and  mill- 
ponds  aid  the  river  in  disposing  of  the  waste  from  the  towns  by 
affording  means  for  aeration  and  sedimentation.  This  may  ac- 
count, in  part,  for  the  fact  that,  at  the  date  when  the  examinations 
were  made,  the  river  did  not  show  excessive  pollution  except  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  one  or  two  towns. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location 

Sample  Number 
Date 

Hour 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

c 

a  2 

85 

%z 

5«                      O  . 

t3.a             "S  n 
£  9             > 

0.2          fl         "Q  to 

§3  I  11 

t-fa      0      C^ 

Per  Cent.  Saturation 

At    Mouth    

38     7/29       3  :2 

3     24 
5     24 
3      22 
3      22 
3      22 
3     22 
5      22 
0      22 
5      22 
3      22 
5      22 
[)      22 
9     22 
5      22 
3      22 
0      22 
3      22 

75        8      3.85      45 
3.39      43 
75      29      5.41      63 
5.68      66 
72      24      2.99      33 
5.27      59 
72        3      3.69      41 
Broken   Bottle 
72        6     4.58      49 
6.05      65 
72        2     4.86      52 
4.4        47 
72        6     4.13      45 
6.36      69 
72      10      4.99      54 
4.87     53 
72      24      5.77      62 
Broken  Bottle 
72        0      3.45      39 
Broken   Bottle 
72        4      4.3        48 
3.34      37 
72        1      4.53      51 
6.6        74 
72        6      3.57     40 
6.6        74 
72      12      4.76      53 
3.85      43 
72        1      4.86     55 
3.94      44 
72        3      4.4        49 
4.67      52 
72        1      4.26      48 
5.13      58 

Below    Windsor     

.  .    37      7/29        2:4 

Below    Poquonock    .... 

A 
.    44     7/31        9:0 

Below    Rainbow   Dam 

A 

.  .    45      7/31        9  :2 

Below    Tariffville 

A 

46     8/4          5:3 

Below    Simsbury     

A 

.  .    47      8/4          5:4 
A 
.    48     7/31     10  '4 

At   Avon 

Below  Farmington    .... 

A 

.  .    49      7/31      11  :3 

At  Unionville    

A 

50      7  /31      11  -5 

Below    Collinsville 

.    51       7  731       12  -3 

Above  Collinsville  below 
Below    Cherry    Brook    . 

A 

Nepaug  River  52     8  /3       10  :1 

53      8/3        10  :3 

At   Satan's   Kingdom    Bi 
At  Pine  Meadow  above 
Above   New   Hartford    . 

•idge 

A 
.54      8/3        10:5 

East  Branch 

..55     8/3        11  :0 
.  .    56     8/3        11  :2 

At  Pleasant  Valley 

57     8/3        11  '3 

At   Mouth   of  West   Branch   at  Dam 

A 
..58     8/3       12:0 
A 

Name   of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population  1914 

s'l 
gs       Is* 

0>  ft                  »  oJ  ;3 
fe  to                 +3  £  P. 
5  >>              to  o>  p 

OTW                  WOJfu 

Textile  Works 

Statistics  of 
Manufactures 

to 

to              X. 
~               *H 
o 

a       £ 

f->       •-< 

Q>                 <S 
ft 

£       1 

tc 

i 

tJ3 

72 

O 

Windsor 

.    3  000 

Partial           2,000 
Factory             100 
Factory             100 
Private               50 
Partial           1,000 
Factory               50 
Partial              500 
Factory             400 
Factory             200 
Factory             400 

'i 

'i 

'i 

2 
1 
3 

'i 

1 

3        'i 
1 

'i 

Poquonock 

200 
200 

Rainbow           

Tariffville 

200 

2  000 

Avon        .           

300 

Farmington    

900 

Unionville 

500 

Collinsville 

600 

New    Hartford     

..       800 

Total     

.  .    8,700 

4,800 

3 

7             6 

i 

26 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


He*  H/UTTFOKC 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  2J 

THE  STILL  AND  MAD  RIVERS. 

The  Mad  River  is  the  main  tributary  of  the  Still  River  which 
enters  the  west  branch  of  the  Farmington  at  Riverton.  From 
Winsted  to  its  mouth  the  Still  River  is  a  sluggish  stream  flowing 
through  meadow-land,  while  the  Mad  River  is  rapid  flowing,  with 
several  dams  at  Winsted.  The  total  drainage  area  is  about  80 
square  miles. 


MAD   RIVER,    WINSTED. 


28 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


The  principal  sources  of  pollution  on  these  rivers  are  the  towns 
of  Winsted  and  East  Winsted,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  the  water 


MAD  RIVER,    WINSTED. 


is  very  badly  discolored  and  has  a  strong  odor.  Winsted  has  had 
plans  submitted  for  treating  its  sewage,  but  as  yet  has  not  started 
work  on  the  construction  of  the  plant. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN 


Location 

Sample  Number 

2 

8 

2  »     £- 

.2  "o  5  *s 

2  S8    g-a 
!-    II 

g      Sfl  s-S 
&     £$  ££ 

a 

"o 
o 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
Parts  per  Million 

a 

o 
9 

0 
& 

At  Mouth  above  Dam              .  .  . 

59 

8/3        12:35     22     72 
8/3          1:00     22      72 
8/3          1:30     22      72 
8/3          2:00     22      72 
8/3          2:15     22      72 
8/3          2:30      22      72 

0 
5 

12 
0 
23 

1 

2.81 
5.22 
2.19 
.36 
3.11 
1.92 
4.12 
.36 
4.3 
4.3 
5.31 

:\] 

24 

4 
3-5 

21 
46 
4 
48 
48 
60 

Below    East    Winsted    

A 
.  .    60 

At   Winsted   below    Brass    Factory.  . 
At  Dam  below  Winsted  R.  R    Sta.  .  . 

A 
.  .    61 
A 
.    62 

A 

At  Dam  below  Knife  Factory,  Winsted  63 
A 
Above  West  Winsted                                     «4 

A 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population  1914 

Sewerage 
System 

T3        g 

£  fe  ft 

CO  <B   O 

Statistics  of 
Manufactures 

|                  fl 
»    1     3     S     o 

5     £      o     'g     ^ 

.*          "«             M             §            -2 

S        o>          eS          d          ® 
CQ       H         O         .J         § 

East  Winsted 

200 
7,754 
200 

None 
Partial 
None 

0 

5,000 
0 

'i     '3 

'i 

'i 

io 

Winsted    .... 

West    Winsted    

Total    

8,154 

5,000 

1        3 

i 

1 

10 

REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  31 

THE  PEQUABUCK  RIVER. 

The  Pequabuck  enters  the  Farmington  River  near  Farmington. 
It  is  a  rather  sluggish  stream  and  between  the  towns  of  Bristol  and 
Plainville  flows  through  a  thickly  populated  district.  Its  drain- 


COWeCTKUT    STlTE      B04RD      Of     nULTM 
TO    GCttML    4S5CUBLY    ON    STBtiM    POLLUTION 
U4P    5HOWINO     5CWCB    OUTLETS 
BRISTOL         CONN 


age  area  is  about  58  square  miles.  There  are  numerous  small  dams 
and  mill  ponds  on  it  which  to  some  degree  aid  the  river  in  dispos- 
ing of  its  excessive  sewage  by  aeration  and  sedimentation.  How- 
ever, during  the  low  stage  the  river  banks  where  the  water  has 
receded  show  many  objectional  deposits  of  sludge. 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


The  principal  sources  of  pollution  are  the  towns  of  Plainville, 
Forestville,  Bristol  and  Terryville,  all  of  which,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Bristol,  which  has  a  disposal  plant,  discharge  their  sew- 
age into  the  river  without  treatment.  In  addition  there  are  many 
factories  which  discharge  their  waste  into  it. 


PEQUABUCK   RIVER,   BRISTOL. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


33 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


& 

0 

a 

'r* 

t-< 

a  .2 

£ 

2 

&5 

3 

Location 

3 

£ 

i« 

2^ 

D  « 
*J    05 

*£ 

03 
GO 

o3  03 

S-0 

0)  ft 

a 

£ 
"5 

ft~ 

a£ 

a 

> 
*o  w 

6 

a 

-2 

^ 

ll 

g,a 

jo 

i* 

£ 

Gj 

Q 

o 

ffl 

£u 

££ 

o 

0 

II 

£ 

Mouth 

274 

10/29 

9 

:30 

7 

44 

11 

6.43 

52 

A 

7.28 

59 

At 

Pla 

inville   

273 

10/29 

9 

:10 

7 

44 

7 

5.18 

42 

A 

6.37 

52 

At 

Fo 

restville 

.    275 

10/29 

10 

:00 

7 

44 

45 

8.09 

66 

A 

6.82 

56 

Bel^  ,. 

A-nr 

Bristol 

276 

10/29 

10 

:30 

7 

44 

18 

6.91 

56 

A 

5.82 

47 

At 

Br 

istol                    

277 

10/29 

10 

:55 

IT 

44 

6 

5.82 

47 

A 

5.09 

41 

Ab< 

5ve 

Bristol 

278 

10/29 

n 

:20 

Y 

44 

5 

8.37 

68 

A 

7.37 

60 

At 

Te 

rrvvillfi 

.  .    279 

10/29 

11 

:55 

7 

44 

5 

6.64 

54 

A 

6.00 

49 

Bel 

ow 

East    Plymouth 

280 

10/29 

12 

:40 

y 

44 

12 

6  18 

50 

A 

7.55 

62 

••# 

TH 

O5 

Statistics  of 
Manufactures 

o>       S 

t» 

M 

M          .2 

7.3 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

11 

s        3  1 

fl         S 

N              ^ 

I    s 

^       TJ 

1 

ce  eg 

03  g             a  ®  csj 

1=1    OT 

<D 

Ss 

CD^                     S  oj9 

s^   s 

73       fl 

+-  a 

^  ^              +3^0. 

^   r^          ^ 

X 

IS 

<D  >,                     W  a;   O 

MTO           eaoaP- 

C3.T        03 

o^    CM 

§   j 

O) 
EH 

Plainville             

3,000 

Partial                 1,500 

11 

1 

3  500 

Partial                 2,000 

4      .  . 

Bristol 

.    10,550 

Disposal  Plant  8,000       1       1 

16        1 

2 

Terryville                      .  . 

800 

Factory                   200 

3      .  . 

100 

None                             0 

Total 

.    17.950 

11,700        1        1 

34        1 

3 

34 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


>0 

5$     <s 


Sr 


PEQUABUCK       RIVER 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  PARK  RIVER. 


35 


The  Park  River  enters  the  Connecticut  from  the  west,  just  be- 
low Hartford.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  79  square  miles  and 
is  a  shallow  stream  flowing  through  a  thickly  populated  area  from 


CONNECTICUT 

STATC   eOARO  OF   HEALTH 

REPORT    TO    TUB    GENERAL  ASSEMBLY 

Oil    STREAM    POLLUTION 
MAP  5HOYVIWQ    DRAINAGE  AREA 
PARK        RIYER 


Bloomfield  to  its  mouth.  The  river  is  badly  polluted  along  the 
city  of  Hartford  and  gives  off  a  strong  odor.  On  the  South  Fork 
conditions  are  not  so  bad,  though  floating  solids  are  frequently 
seen. 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


PARK    RIVER,    HARTFORD. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


37 


38  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

SAMPLING  STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


a 

fl  ° 

a 

o 

"S 

CB 

§C^ 

E 

Location 

| 

6. 

|-                    |S 

s 

02 

£ 

II 

•t-J   0?                          rQ  o> 

ra.a                  o>  p, 

fl 
Q> 

"c, 

o>  be 

«     O               ^               •—  t 

O 

c 

£          g       SP 

g^     .2      ^ti 

FH 

3 

&         &      ?8 

Hfe    6    5=3 

O 

Mouth 

297 

11/12     10:35        7 

44      25      4.74 

38 

A 

32 

Hartford   at   Commerce    street 

298 

11/12      11:00        7 

44      16      4!oi 

32 

A 

2.46 

20 

Hartford    above  Main   street 

....    299 

11/12      11:55        7 

44        2      7.12 

58 

A 

35 

Hartford   at   Broad  street 

300 

11  /12     12  :25        7 

44        4      7.12 

58 

A 

5.75 

47 

Hog  River  Mouth    

301 

11  /12        1  :00        7 

44        6      6.11 

50 

A 

5^66 

46 

Hog      River,       Albany       Ave. 
Hartford    

above 
302 

11/12        1:55        7 

44        3      7.75 

63 

A 

6.84 

56 

Washington   Brook   below   Bloomfield  303 

11/12        3:05        7 

44        1      7.85 

64 

A 

7.76 

63 

South    Fork    Mouth     

.  .    304 

11  /12        4  :00        7 

44        3      6.93 

56 

A 

7.76 

63 

South   Fork   above   West   Hartford  .  .    305 

11/12        4:25        7 

44        0      6.84 

56 

A 

6.48 

53 

Statistics 

of 

^|J 

Manufactures 

Ci 

CO 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

•si 

£                   1     1 

1    I 

§ 

n 

+2  P. 

^  "to                     '-*-  ^  P< 

I       3 

0) 

CD 

co  O 

O>   >>                             m  03    O 
COCO                        &302^ 

c3 

(-, 
P 

Hartford 

1,000 

Complete         1,000 

3 

1 

West   Hartford 

5,456 

Partial             4,000 

Newington     

300 

Factory                 50 

i       !  ! 

Bloomfield     

400 

None                         0 

Total     

.     7,156 

5,050 

1             3 

1 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  HOCKANUM  RIVER. 


39 


The  Hockanum  River  enters  the  Connecticut  from  the  east  just 
below  Hartford.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  84  square  miles 
and  is  a  rather  sluggish  stream  flowing  through  a  region  of  glacial 


'CT1CUT   5TATE    BOARD  OP    HEALTH 

REPOPT'TO  GENtRM.  ASSEMBLY  ow  STCEAM  POLLUTION 

MAP    5MOYYIW6  THE   DRAINAGE   AREA 
HOCKANUM      RIVER 


drift.  Its  principal  sources  of  pollution  are  the  mills  at  Burn- 
side,  South  Manchester,  Manchester  and  Rockville.  Rockville, 
Manchester  and  South  Manchester  treat  their  sewage  before  dis- 
charging it  into  the  river.  The  river  does  not  seem  to  be  very 
badly  polluted  except  at  Burnside  and  Buckland. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location 

Sample  Number 

Q> 

03 

P 

o  . 

W' 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

Colon 

d 
fl.2 
S5 

Per  Cent.  Saturation 

Mouth 
At    Bu 
Below 
Below 
Above 
Taucar 
Below 
At    Re 
Above 

288 
A 
289 
A 
290 
A 
296 
A 
291 
A 
292 
A 
293 
A 
294 
A 
295 
A 

11/11 
11/11 
11/11 
11/11 
11/11 
11/11 
11/11 
11/11 
11/11 

10:30 
11:25 
12:40 
5:30 
1:55 
2:40 
3:15 
3:50 
4:20 

6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 

43 
43 
43 
43 
43 
43 
43 
43 
43 

2 
8 
1 
6 
0 
6 
13 
25 
2 

5.47 
3.83 
4.83 
3.65 
3.37 
3.10 
5.84 
4.28 
5.29 
4.01 
6.66 
7.11 
6.93 
7.48 
6.84 
4.56 
6.66 
6.48 

43 
30 
39 
29 
24 
24 
46 
34 
42 
32 
53 
57 
55 
59 
54 
36 
53 
51 

rnside    

Buckland 

Manchester 

Manchester     

ihoosen    River    below    Vernon 
Windermere     

,ckville     

Rockville 

REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


HOCKANUM    RIVER    AT    BURNSIDE. 


1-1 

O5 

Statistics  of  Manufactures. 

?°                                                05                                 TO 

1—  | 

,x 

& 

^ 

Name   of  City 

-e     c 

FH 
O 

CO 

o 

or  Borough 

®  2 

& 

-2    r 

£ 

^ 

>     *§ 

£ 

^ 

11 

&  i 

a|| 

S 

« 

|>         >o 
C 

S 

13 

'-C  a 

>  •*•? 

52  te  ft 

Jri 

M 

to         s 

o-      «$ 

•*j 

CO    O 

CO   CD    O 

03 

eS          rt 

rt         o 

HO. 

W73 

E$S- 

OQ 

O       ,J 

s 

East    Hartford 

8,000 

Partial 

4  000 

Burnside 

'400 

Factory 

200 

3      .  . 

1 

Buckland.     

300 

Factory 

50 

'i 

South     Manchester 

9,000 

Disposal 

plant  8,000       1 

'.  .       '.'. 

'i     'i 

]  | 

Manchester 

3  500 

Disposal 

plant  1  000 

'  i 

3        2 

o 

Talcottville      

.       400 

Factory 

100      .. 

2 

Vernon     

300 

Factory 

50      .  . 

1 

Rockville      

8  500 

Disposal 

plant  7,000        1 

9 

i      i 

'i 

30,400 

20,400        2 

14 

i      i 

7        3 

5 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


10  i5 

MOCKAK/UM         RIVER 


42  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

ROARING  BROOK. 

Roaring  Brook  enters  the  Connecticut  from  the  east  at  South 
Glastonbury.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  25  square  miles. 
It  is  a  swift  stream  with  many  dams  and  mill  ponds  on  it.  It 


CONNECTICUT 
STATE    BO^RD  OF    HEALTH 
REPORT    TO    THE    GENERAL  ASSEMBLY 
ON     STREAM     POLLUTIOW 

MAP   SHOWING    DRAINAGE  AREA 
ROARIMQ       BROOK 


flows  through  a  rough,  hilly  country.  On  the  date  of  the  exami- 
nation the  condition  was  good,  except  below  East  Glastonbury 
where  the  water  was  very  badly  discolored. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


43 


SAMPLING  STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location 

1 

£ 

j3   QJ 

H 

a 
1 

s 

Ul 

fi 

•S"2 

-4-J     Q 

•efe 

u; 

£ 
"S 

S2 

13 

If 

a 

^>  ft 

1 

a 

•+->             - 

9  a 

M  "^ 

P 

e<S                 C 

S  § 

QJ     ^J 

o 

•2  cs 

V 

w 

Q                W 

HO 

Hfa 

O 

Mouth     

12  /8     11  * 

00       1 

34 

1 

9  02 

63 

A 

8.45 

59 

Above  South  Glastonbury    . 

352 

12/8      11' 

40        1 

34 

1  %> 

9  50 

66 

A 

12.73 

66 

Below   East    Glastonbury 

353 

12  /8      12  • 

30        1 

34 

2 

9  12 

64 

A 

8.55 

60 

Above   East   Glastonbury 

354 

12/8        1  • 

00        1 

34 

o 

8  83 

62 

A 

8.17 

56 

of 

^ 

Statistics 

H 

Oi 

T-l 

Manufactures 
?? 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

o 

bo 

|     § 

CO 

I 

0 

11 

ga 

a  ^3 

!> 

£ 

T, 

£  a 

>  ro 

*n  fe  Pi 

^^ 

ti 

cS 

CO    O 

^  t*> 

to  ^  O 

a> 

s 

HCU 

02  CQ 

W^OH 

S 

H 

a 

South  Glastonbury 

700 

Factory 
Factory 

350 
200 

1 

i 

2 

East  Glastonbury 

500 

Total         

1,200 

550 

1 

i 

2 

THE  SEBETHE  RIVER. 

The  Sebethe  River  enters  the  Connecticut  just  above  Middle- 
town.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  113  square  miles  and  is  a 
sluggish  stream  flowing  through  meadows,  and  pasture  land.  The 


COMNECTICUT    5TATE    BOARD   OF    HEALTH 

REPORT   TO    GENERM.  ASSEMBLY  ON    STREAM  POLLUTION 

MAP    SHOWING  TbE    DRAINAGE    AREA 

SEBETHE       RIVER 


44 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


river  is  badly  polluted  for  its  entire  length,  but  is  particularly  bad 
at  Beckleys,  a  short  distance  above  which  the  outlet  from  the  New 
Britain  sewage  beds  enters  the  river.  The  city  is  contemplating 
some  change  in  its  sewage  treatment  plant,  which  will  help  the 
condition  of  the  river  materially. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

- 

Sample  Number 
Date 

Hour 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
Parts  Per  Mil  lion 

Per  Cent.  Saturation  | 

At    Mouth 

4     7/14 

1  :40     26 
10:15     26 
10:55     26 
12  :00     26 

79 
79 
79 
79 

2.5 
1.0 

2.77 
1.90 
0.6 
0.1 
2.5 
1.8 

30 
12 
33 
23 

7 

30 
21 

At    Westfleld     

A 
...1     7/14 

At    Beckleys    

A 
2     7/14 

At  Berlin   Junction    . 

.      3     7/14 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population  1914 

Sewerage 
System 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

Statistics  of 
Manufactures 

l»            -3 

i  la  1  1  1 

1   §£    J     !     1 

Quarries 

New    Britain 

.    50,200 

Disposal 
Partial 
Factory 
Factory 
None 
None 
Factory 
Factory 
Factory 

plant  50,000 
1,000 
50 
200 
0 
0 
50 
50 
50 

222 

3 

15 

•• 

Berlin 

2  000 

East    Berlin 

200 

.. 

'i 

1 
3 

Kensington               .  .  . 

500 

Westfield 

100 

Beckleys 

100 

'i 

:: 

'i 

1 

1 

Rock    Fall           

200 

Middlefield     

300 

Durham                           . 

600 

Total 

54  200 

51,400 

322 

4 

21 

1 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


45 


Eoooo 


SEBCTHE   RIVER 


46  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

THE  SALMON  RIVER. 

The  Salmon  River  enters  the  Connecticut  just  below  Haddam. 
It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  71  square  miles  and  is  a  swift 
flowing  stream  with  many  falls  and  mill  ponds  on  it.  The  river 
does  not  appear  to  be  polluted  except  below  Westchester  Station. 


CCWtCJlCuT   5TATE    BOARD   OF    HEALTH 

REPORT   TO    GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  ON    STREAM  POLLUTION 

MAP    SHOWING  THE   ORMNAGE   AREA 

SALMON       RIVER 


It  receives  some  pollution  through  Moodus  Brook,  from  the  facto- 
ries at  Moodus,  also  through  Pocotopaug  River  from  those  at 
East  Hampton.  The  west  branch  of  the  Blackledge  River,  one 
of  its  feeders,  appears  polluted  below  Marlboro. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


47 


SAMPLING  STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

1 
Q 

*         0S 
<p  o> 

W        HO 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

c 

"o 

o 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
Parts  Per  Mi]  lion 

Per  Cent.  Saturation 

Mouth 

314 

11/17 
11/17 
11/17 
11/17 
11/17 
11/17 

12  :15       6 
1:10       5 
4:50       5 
4:20       5 
3:35       5 
3:10       5 

43 

41 
41 
41 
41 
41 

0 

0 
0 

0 
0 
0 

7.12 
5.89 
5.80 
6.77 
6.77 
7.65 
4.75 
8.18 
4.74 
4.74 
6.33 
6.00 

57 
47 
45 
52 
52 
59 
37 
63 
59 
59 
49 
46 

At    Leesville 

A 

316 

Below  Lyman   Viaduct    . 
At    Westchester    station 
At   Turnerville 

A 
322 

A 
321 

A 

320 

Below    Hebron    

A 
319 

A 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population  1914 

Sewerage 
System 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

Statistics  of 
Manufactures 

|           1 
5            «            "3 

$      s-      2 

H                  OH                  S 

Moodus 

2  000 

Factory 
None 
None 
Factory 
None 

1,000 
0 
0 
1,000 
0 

4 

'i 

'i 

2 

Leesville 

100 

Westchester    Station    .  . 

100 

2  000 

Marlboro 

....       100 

Total 

....   4,300 

2,000 

5 

1 

9 

MOODUS 

BROOK. 

Location. 

OJ 

03 

Q 

Hour 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

fl 

"c 
O 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
Parts  Per  Mil  lion 

Per  Cent.  Saturation 

Below    Moodus     

.    315 

11/17     12:40       5     41 

JG   RIVER. 
11/17       1:40       7     44 

LACKLEDGE    RIVER. 
11/17       2:20       5     41 

0 

0 

0 

4.57 
7.04 

5.80 
5.89 

4.57 

4.48 

35 
55 

47 
48 

35 
35 

Below  East  Hampton    . 

A 
POCOTOPAI 
317 

WEST 

A 
BRANCH    OF    E 
318 

A 

48 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


CONNECTICUT   STATE    BOARD  OF    HEALTH 
REPORT   TO    GENERAL   ASSEMBLY  ON    STREAM    POLLUTION 
MAP    SHOWING  THE   DRAINAGE   AREA 
TMAME5          RIVER 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  49 

THE  THAMES  RIVER. 

'The  Thames  River  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  1,407  square 
miles,  and  is  formed  by  the  confluence  of  the  Shetucket  and  Yan- 
tic  Rivers  at  Norwich.  It  flows  south  through  a  narrow  valley, 
emptying  into  Long  Island  Sound  at  New  London.  Its  other 
tributaries  are  the  Quinnebaug,  French,  Nachaug  and  Williman- 
tic.  It  is  tidal  to  Norwich,  a  distance  of  about  15  miles.  From 
the  extreme  upper  end  of  its  tributaries  it  has  a  total  fall  of  about 
600  feet  in  crossing  the  state.  On  it  are  the  cities  of  Montville, 
Thamesville  and  Norwich.  The  volume  of  the  river  appears  ade- 
quate to  take  care  of  the  sewage  and  wastes  of  the  towns  and  fac- 
tories discharging  into  it,  but  the  analyses  indicate  that  most  of 
the  oxygen  in  the  river  is  being  used  to  accomplish  this  and  that 
the  amount  remaining  to  support  major  fish  life  is  not  sufficient. 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


SAMPLING  STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


| 

"3 

1 

§  O 

>>^- 

S-. 

Location. 

a 

B. 

2^ 

8* 

w 

* 

0> 

si 

P 

•gs 

>dH 

d 

D. 

h 

^S 

d 

0 

a      s 

£3 

Sd 

0 

^/     ^ 

h 

a            - 
CO              Q 

K 

£S 

<U  oj 
Hfa 

0 

O 

5S 

o 

^ 

At  Mouth                          

102     8/13 

10  :30     23 

73 

4 

3.96 

45.6 

3.2 

36.9 

Above    R.    R.    Bridge,    New 

London 

103     8/13 

10  :50     23 

73 

5 

5.65 

65.2 

A 

3.66 

41.5 

Opposite    Mamacoke    Hill    . 

104     8  /13 

11:0( 

)     23 

73 

q 

5.28 

60.7 

2.92 

33.9 

Below    Montville    .  .        ... 

105     8/13 

11  :1( 

)     23 

73 

?7 

5  65 

65  1 

2.94 

33.9 

Above  Allyn  Point        .  .      . 

106     8/13 

11  -2( 

)     23 

73 

"M 

5  09 

58  5 

A 

2.73 

31.4 

Opposite   Poquetanuck   Cove 

107     8  /13 

11  :4£ 

5     23 

73 

7 

4  62 

53  4 

3.2 

36.4 

Opposite   Trading   Cove 

108     8  /13 

11  *5! 

;     93 

73 

o 

5  18 

59  7 

3.01 

34.8 

Below  Thamesville    

109     8/13 

12  -Of 

5     23 

73 

9 

4  33 

49  9 

A 

2.07 

23.9 

Junction    of    Shetucket    and 

Yantic 

Rivers  at  Norwich    

110     8/13 

12  •!! 

5     23 

73 

o 

6  32 

73  1 

A 

2.82 

32.5 

•* 
i-i 

Statistics  of  Manufactures. 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

rH 

II 

0 

to 

1     1 

§        U 

a    |  | 

|     5 

! 

53 
+3  PI 

fe  "93 

a  M— 
Igl 

^s 

1  If 

1      1 

"3 

W    O 

-^ 

5* 

02  CQ 

H^S 

6 

S   o£ 

o3          o3 

^          OH 

S 

New   London    

20,503 

Complete 

20,500 

2 

? 

4        1 

9 

Groton 

3  000 

Partial 

1  500 

Waterford 

200 

Factory 

50 

2 

Norwich     (part)               .  .  . 

6,000 

Complete 

5,000 

2 

1 

2 

Total 

29,703 

27,050 

2 

2 

2 

4       4 

11 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


53 


f  |  f 


54 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

OXOBOXO  BROOK. 


Oxoboxo  Brook  enters  the  Thames  River  from  the  west  at  Un- 
casyille.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  15  square  miles.  It  is  a 
rapid  flowing  stream  and  runs  through  a  very  hilly  country.  On 
it  'are  several  dams  and  mill  ponds.  The  river  shows  signs  of 
pollution  at  Uncasville  and  below  Montville  where  it  is  consider- 
ably discolored. 


CONNECTICUT     STATE      &OARP    Or     HCAt-TH 

REPORT     TO    GEWtRAL    AS5E.MBLT  ON  THE  POLLUTIOW 
OF     STRCAMS 

MAP    SHOWING  THE    DRAINAGE    AR E A s  OXOBOXO    BROOKS 


SAMPLING   STATIONS  AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 

Sample  Numt 

2 
11 

§                g         Sd 
Q              W        $0 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

Colon 

Dissolved  Oxj 
Parts  Per  Mi 

cd 
M 

Moi 
At 

ith    at   Uncasville    . 

312 

11/13       3:00       6 
11/13       3:30       6 

43 
43 

3     4.46 
3.81 
15     6.51 
6.33 

35 

30 
52 
50 

Montville     

A 
313 

A 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

ci 

rH 

•s  1 

l!      Ill 

££              »|o 

MM                  H$&H 

Statistics  of 
Manufactures 

1      |     I 

0)                 «               TH 

"-«             m            ® 

S          S         a 

K                 ft              O 
H             £           H 

Unc 
Mor 

asville    

300 

Factory           50 
Factory         200 

1 

3 

*2 

1 

itville 

300 

Total 

600 

250 

4 

2 

1 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  YANTIC  RIVER. 


55 


The  Yantic  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  98  square  miles  and 
flows  through  a  region  of  farm  and  pasture  lands.  The  river  is 
badly  polluted  along  the  city  of  Norwich,  but  more  especially  at 
the  so-called  "Norwich  Dump,"  where  garbage,  ashes  and  refuse 
are  deposited.  It  also  receives  some  pollution  from  the  factories 
at  Yantic,  Fitchville  and  Bozrahville. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

! 

s.  §« 

0  fl 
0)  0 

w>— 

>><  — 

X  S 

oS 

Satura 

1 

.2 

"a 

+»»a  -Cii> 

?*  03     4,4 

.    sS  11 

d 

•0  fc 

o>  o 

J>PLH 

1 
o 

a 

3 

Se 

a  ,3 

0 

w  ^ 

u 

02 

Q 

H 

HO    H  fa 

6 

PP^ 

S 

At  Dump  in  Upper  Norwich 

.     Ill 

8/14        9 

•so 

^6 

79 

5 

2.67 

3?  5 

A 

.669 

8.1 

Below   Norwich   Town   above 

Falls.    112 

8/14        9 

:50 

26 

79 

3 

3.82 

46.5 

A 

2.58 

31.4 

At    Yantic 

113 

8/14     10 

*J_0 

26 

79 

4 

5  35 

65  0 

A 

3.44 

41.0 

Below    Fitchville     

114 

8  /14     10 

•10 

26 

79 

o 

4  49 

54  0 

A 

3.53 

42.0 

Above  Fitchville    

115 

8  /14     1C 

"10 

26 

79 

o 

4  78 

58  0 

A 

4.49 

54,0 

Below    Bozrahville 

116 

8  /14     11 

.  -i  pr 

26 

79 

1 

3  72 

45  0 

A 

3.44 

41.0 

•* 

Statistics  of 

rH 

TV 

[anu: 

'actures 

a 

a 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Si 

0) 

be 

>d 

o 

| 

« 

| 

m 

| 

II 

ga 
s$ 

a 

s 

<y  cd 

§ 

CO 

s    S 

t> 

*c3 

£  0. 
3£ 

£m 

0)  >> 

02  O2 

^S& 

H^PH 

i^ 

1 

cj          c3 

<D 

Norwich    (part)     

.    6,000 

Complete 

5 

000 

1 

3 

i 

? 

Norwich   Town 

500 

None 

200 

Yantic     .  .                  

200 

Factory 

50 

1 

Fitchville    

100 

None 

0 

Bozrahville    

100 

Factory 

50 

1 

i 

Totel     , 

.    6.900 

5.300 

1 

5 

i     i 

2 

REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


YA.NTIC       RIVER 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


THE  SHETUCKET  RIVER. 


57 


The  Shetucket  River  at  its  junction  with  the  Yantic  River. 
forms  the  Thames.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  1,200  square 
miles,  is  50  miles  in  length  and  a  very  swift  stream,  flowing 
through  a  region  of  crystalline  rock  formation.  Its  principal 
sources  of  pollution  are  Greenville,  Taftville,  Occum,  Versailles 
and  Baltic.  It  also  receives  some  pollution  through  the  Quinne- 
baug  and  Willimantic  Rivers.  In  spite  of  this  the  conditions  of 
the  river  as  shown  by  the  analyses  is  fair.  This  may  be  partly  ac- 
counted for  by  the  falls  and  mill  ponds  on  it,  which  afford  a 
chance  for  purification  through  aeration  and  sedimentation. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location 

1 

I                 h 

£                            H 

1    1      1    If 

&      p        &     £$ 

|S 

Colon 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
I'arts  per  Million 

Per  Cent.  Saturation 

At   Preston 

- 

L19     8/14     11:50     26 
L18     8/14     12:15     26 
L17     8/14     12:30     26 
85     8/7         1:20     24 
84     8/7          1:10     24 
83     8/7       12:50     24 
82     8/7       12:10     24 
81     8/7       11:16     24 
80     8/7       11:00     24 

79 
79 
79 
75 
75 
75 
75 
75 
75 

1     5.87 
3.63 
0     5.25 
4.39 
21     4.97 
3.82 
2     4.72 
3.18 
8     4.9 
3.18 
5     3.9 
3.45 
0      4.54 
3.09 
0     4.09 
4.27 
12     5.45 
2.09 

71 
44 
63 
53 
60 
46 
54 
37 
57 
37 
45 
44 
53 
36 
47 
50 
63 
24 

At   Greenville 

. 

Below  Junction  with  Quinnebaug.... 
Below  Taftville  

Below  Occum  and 
Below    Baltic 

Versailles   

Above   Scotland    St 
Opposite  South  Wi 
Opp.   Prospect   Hill 

ation    

Qdham            .  . 

below  Willimantic 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

i-i 

OJ 
rH 

•a  ° 

IJs       ga 
a  3         3  01 

i!     s» 

HPn                 WTO 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

Silk  Mills 
Textile  Works  g? 

Gas  Works 

o 

DO 

Laundries  % 

Manufactures. 

DO 

S          «o         w 

5      5      £ 

*H          E          h 

^             S             CP 

s    1    § 
£    5    S 

K 

^ 

1 

O> 

Norwich  (part)   .  .  . 
Taftville 

.   8,000     Complete 
300     Partial 

8,000 
200 
300 
0 
200 
100 

2     13        1       4 
1 

3 

1 

5 

Versailles 

400     None 

2      .  . 

1 

..      .. 

•• 

Occum     

100     None 

Baltic    

400     Partial 

1      ..      .. 

•• 

i 

1 

1 

South   Windham     . 

.       300     None 

Total     , 

.    9.500 

8.800 

2     17        1        4 

4 

l      l 

7 

REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


ESTIMATCP     fVPULATJOAJ 


P/SSOLVCO  cwroev          N        M         *         M         s*         -4         o>  t    *,  ~r»  *~-Z, 

f*XTS  ree  M/LLIOU      V        J1        f  /      J1  ^o»v  J/AT /KCSV 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


THE  QUINNEBAUG  RIVER. 


59 


The  Quinnebaug  River  enters  the  Shetucket  from  the  east  be- 
low Taftville.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  688  square  miles, 
of  which  about  265  square  miles  lie  in  Massachusetts.  It  is  a 
swift  flowing  stream  through  broad  valleys  of  crystalline  rock 
formation.  On  it  are  the  towns  of  Greenville,  Jewett  City,  Pack- 
ersville,  Danielsonville,  Wauregan,  Putnam,  Mechanicsville, 
Grosvenordale,  North  Grosvenordale  and  New  Boston  in  Con- 
necticut and  West  Dudley,  Saundersdale,  and  Southbridge  in 
Massachusetts.  The  river  is  considerably  polluted  by  the  fac- 
tories at  Jewett  City,  Packersville,  Canterbury  and  Wauregan, 
and  from  the  sewerage  systems  of  Danielsonville  and  Putnam.  In 
Massachusetts  the  towns  of  Southbridge  and  West  Dudley 
empty  their  sewage  and  factory  waste  into  it. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

1 
^ 

1 

•2 

o 

emperature 
entigrade 

emperature 
ahrenheit 

a 
"o 

issolved  Oxy 
arts  Per  Mil 

er  Cent.  Sati 

M 

Q 

a 

HU 

Hfa 

u 

Pfi- 

PH 

At    Mouth 

86 

8/7 

i 

:40 

24 

75 

33 

3.63 

42.6 

A 

3.27 

37.4 

At    Jewett    City 

87 

8/7 

2 

:20 

24 

75 

4 

3.18 
3.99 

37.3 

46.8 

A 

Below  Packersville 

88 

8/7 

2 

:45 

24 

75 

9 

4.17 

48.7 

A 

3.36 

39.2 

At    Wauregan 

90 

8/7 

3 

:50 

24 

75 

0 

3.9 
6.27 

45.7 
73.5 

A 

Above     Five     Mile     River 

at    Dan- 

ielsonville 

91 

8/10 

10 

:45 

26 

79 

4 

3.42 

41.6 

A 

3.04 

36.9 

At   Pomfret   Landing    .... 

94 

8  /10 

11 

:45 

25 

77 

22 

3.71 

44.2 

A 

<j  /  j.  v 

1.99 

23.7 

Below  Putnam 

95 

8/10 

12 

:30 

25 

77 

5 

3.9 

46.5 

A 

1.61 

19.2 

Above  Putnam   

96 

8  /10 

1 

:15 

24 

75 

4 

3.14 

36.8 

A 

1.42 

16.7 

Above   French    River        .  . 

98 

8  710 

2 

:00 

26 

79 

12 

4.78 

58.1 

A 

CJ  /  "^V 

3.13 

38.1 

At    State   Line 

100 

8/10 

2 

:45 

26 

79 

o 

3.89 

47.3 

A 

1.14 

13.9 

6o 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


Statistics  of  Manufactures. 


Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population 

Sewerage 
System 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

iittl 

S     1     £    S     3 

02          EH          Q        O         J 

*       »       * 

i  !  1 

«H              £             — 

I  3  1 

PL,       E-"        § 

Jewett    City 

300 

Factory 

200 

3        1      .  .      .. 

Packersville 

100 

Factory 

50 

1      

Plainfleld 

500 

Factory 

300 

1      

100 

None 

o 

Wauregan 

600 

Partial 

300 

Danielsonville 

2  500 

Partial 

1,500 

3      ..        1        1 

2 

Williamsville     .... 

.  .  .         50 

None 

o 

Pomfret  Landing 

50 

None 

o 

Putnam 

7  280 

Partial 

7  000 

5       6                1       1 

113 

West  Thompson 

100 

None 

o 

Mechanicsville     .... 

500 

None 

300 

New    Boston 

100 

None 

o 

Total    12,180 


9.650 


5     14 


\ 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  PACHAUG  RIVER. 


61 


The  Pachaug  River  enters  the  Q;uinnebaug  from  the  east    at 
Jewett  City.     It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  (>0  square  miles. 


CONNECTICUT 

STATE"    BOARD    OP    HEALTH 

REPORT    TO    THE   6ENCRAL  ASSEMBLY 

OM     STREAM     POLLUTION 

SHOWING    PRAIMAGE  AREA 
PACHAUG       RIVER 


It  is  a  rather  swift  stream  flowing  through  a  rough,  hilly  coun- 
try. On  it  are  several  dams  and  mill  ponds.  The  river  receives 
pollution  at  Voluntown  and  Glasko,  but  at  the  time  of  the  exam- 
ination seemed  in  very  fair  condition. 


62 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 
SAMPLING  STATIONS  AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 

9 

1     1 

02               O 

ft 

§     S3 

ffi      HU 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

Colon 

I 
I 

Parts  Per  Million 

_p 
"S 

U 

Mouth 

306     11/13 

8  :45       6 

43       7 

7 

so 

59 

6 

84 

54 

At  Hopeville    

307     11/13 

9:20       6 

43        5 

s 

o-} 

64 

A 

7 

21 

57 

At  Pachaug       

308     11  /13 

9  :55       6 

43       2 

R 

<?•; 

49 

5 

fiT 

45 

At   Glasko 

309      11  /13 

10  '30       6 

43       4 

fi 

o« 

55 

A 

fi 

14 

49 

At  Doaneville    

310     11  /13 

11  :00       6 

43        8 

*; 

•19 

43 

5 

21 

41 

At    Voluntown         

311      11/13 

11  '15       6 

43        o 

7 

"1 

60 

A 

5 

86 

46 

rH 
Oi 

rH 

n  i 

<S  J§ 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

|l 

Is 

•s  I' 
all 

| 

If 

^2  QJ 

w  o 

II 

y; 

§? 

50 

None 

0 

Pachaug                  •  •  .    ?  

200 

Factory 

50 

Glasko    

200 

Factory 

50 

1 

200 

Factory 

50 

Voluntown            .          •  •  • 

500 

Factory 

200 

1 

Total     

1,150 

350 

2 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


»• 

18 


1100 

looc 

800 


€>oo 


\ 


\ 


55 


100 
000 

Boo 

600 

Boo 


RIVER 


64 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  MOOSUP  RIVER. 

The  Moosup  River  enters  the  Quinnebaug  from  the  east  about 
one  mile  below  Wauregan.     It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  68 


CONNECTICUT 

•STATE    BOARD  Of-   HEALTH 

REPORT    TO     TH6   GEMERAL  ASSEMBLY 

ON     STREAM     POULUTIOKI 

MAP     SHOWIN6      DRAINAQfe 

MOOSUP 


CBMTXAL    WLLA.GE 


QUINXJE-BAUG          RWtR 


square  miles,  part  of  which  lies  in  Rhode  Island.  It  is  a  very 
rapid  stream  with  several  dams  and  mill  ponds  on  it.  The  river 
is  polluted  in  its  lower  part,  probably  by  wastes  from  Moosup 
and  Central  Village. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 


2 

3 

£ 

<D 
1  3 


!«  §* 


Hn 


At  Central  Village    89     8/7     3 :45     24     75     10     3.81     44.7 

A  4.81     56.4 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


«8,3 


Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

vj 

P 

a  3 

+3  O4 

tfl  O 

HP-, 

a 

ga 

223 

£  w 
<u  >» 
0202 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

Statistics  oi 
Manufactur 
Textile  Wor 

Central  Village            

.    300 

Factory 

200 

3 

100 

None 

0 

400 

Factory 

200 

3 

Oneco                                .        .  . 

200 

None 

o 

Total                                 .  .    .  . 

.'.    .  .    1  000 

400 

Q 

THE  FIVE  MILE  RIVER. 

The  Five  Mile  River  enters  the  Quinnebaug  from  the  east  at 
Danielsonville.     It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  76  square  miles 


CONNECTICUT 
STATE  BOARD  OF 
REPORT    TO    THE   6ENBRAL  ASSCMBcY 

OM     STREAM     POLIAJTIOM 
MAP   SHOWING   PRAINAOC  >weA 

rive  MIL.C    Rivr-R 


and  is  a  rather  rapid  stream  flowing  through  a  hilly  woodland  re- 
gion. The  river  receives  some  pollution  at  Killingly  and  becomes 
worse  at  Danielsonville. 


66  R EPORT  O N  I N VEST  1 G  A  1  1  ( )  N  O I 

SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


c  c 
o>  o 
M- 


Location 


o 
Oi 

a 

c3 

0! 

"e3                  O 

Q        a 

GC    C-3 

££  S.§ 

1  Is 

Per  Cen 

At   Mouth    

92 

8/10     11:00 
8/10     11:25 

26     79 
23      73 

0     2.95 
1.80 
2      4.76 
4.95 

36.2 
21.9 
50.0 
51.4 

At  Killingly    

A 
93 

A 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

O5 

T-l 

cits 

Sewerage 
System 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

Statistics  of 
Manufactures 

tB 
O                            M 

£       ! 

«          ti 

I     I 

Killino'ly 

600 

Private 
Factory 
Factory 
Factory 
Factory 
None 
None 

50 

50 
50 
0 
0 

"i 

i 

i 

• 

Dayville 

100 

East    Killingly     

....      400 

Attawaugan.    

100 

Ballouville 

100 

Quaddick    

100 

East    Thompson     

200 

Total     

1  600 

650 

4 

1 

THE  FRENCH  RIVER. 

The  French  River  enters  the  Quinnebaug  from  the  east  at  Me- 
chanicsville.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  70  square  miles,  30 
square  miles  being  in  Massachusetts.  It  is  a  very  rapid  stream  and 
has  many  dams  and  mill  ponds  on  it.  It  flows  through  a  hilly  re- 
gion of  crystalline  rock  formation.  The  river  is  badly  polluted  for 
its  entire  length  but  more  particularly  below  North  Grosvenor- 
dale  and  the  State  Line.  The  conditions  at  the  State  Line  are 
probably  due  to  the  towns  of  Perryville,  Webster,  Leicester,  Ox- 
ford, Charlton  and  Dudley  in  Massachusetts.  All  of  these  towns 
have  one  or  more  textile  factories  which  discharge  large  quanti- 
ties of  liquid  wastes,  besides  the  sewage  from  their  employees. 
The  town  of  Leicester  treats  its  sewage,  Webster  and  Dudley 
discharge  theirs  untreated  into  the  river. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


67 


68  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 

imple  Number 
ate 

2      £ 

3  CO      3^J 

^       Ss   £<2 

3        BO    SJ3 

3lon 

issolved  Oxygen 
irts  Per  Million 

i 

j 

i 

! 

i 
0 
4 
j 

i 

] 

5 
j 
S 

3 

: 
j 

w         Q 

ffi        E-'O   E-'fc 

D      Dfi 

p 

Mouth    .... 

97     8/10 

1  *40     24     75 

5     2  85 

33 

| 

A 

1.61 

18 

9 

Below   North   Grosvenordale 

99     8/10 

2  :15     26     79 

1      1  99 

24 

2 

At  State  Line  

101     8/10 

3  '30     26     79 

0.285 
3      1  71 

3. 

20 

47 
1 

A 

0.476 

5. 

79 

Name  of  City 

OS 
rH 

•o§ 

w 

or  BoroagL 

•2 

w> 

•2    ^ 

Stj 

p; 

|3 

H   3 

ga 

o>2 

S  rt  3 

ll 

^0 

££ 

a  ^  o 

^  rt 

c 

FH 

300 

None 

o 

400 

None 

100 

400 

Factory 

200 

'  : 

Wilsonville                  .        

100 

None 

o 

*  • 

Total                             .    .        ... 

1  200 

300 

1 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


ESTIMATED 


DISSOLVED  oxroeu  /wrrs  FfffMttJUQU 

ro 


FLOW-CUFT.PfK. 
SiSC.  LOW  51*  WS. 


DILUTION 

.fT.  f£fe  sec.. 

PCK    IOOO 


I       R 


1 fi 


7O  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

THE  NACHAUG  RIVER  AND  TRIBUTARIES. 

The  Nachaug  River  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  165  square 
miles  and  flows  through  a  broad  valley  encircled  by  hills.  On  its 
tributaries  are  many  dams  and  mill  ponds.  A  dam  three  miles 
above  Willimantic  forms  a  storage  reservoir  for  supplying  the 
city  with  water.  The  sewer  outlets  of  the  city  discharge  into 
the  river  above  its  junction  with  the  Willimantic  and  pollute  it 
badly.  It  also  receives  some  pollution  at  Mansfield  Hollow, 
North  Windham  and  Phoenixville. 

SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 


3  ®    zii 
22  g| 

a.*?  P,£ 


IS 

II 


At   Mouth 


79     8/7     10:45     24     75 
A 


4.81 
4.99 


58 


Name  of  City 
or  Borough 


Statistics 
of  Manu- 
factures. 


33  £  a        ^          kg 

03   >j  -?3  03   O  ™  JiT 

MW  HoQk  02  Hi^ 


Alansfield   Hollow               .        .  . 

100 

Factory 

50 

3 

North   Windham     .  .           

400 

Factory 

200 

1 

Chaplin 

50 

None 

o 

Chaffeeville 

50 

None 

o 

Hank   Hill                             ...    . 

100 

Factory 

50 

Gurleyville    

100 

Factory 

50 

East  Willington 

100 

None 

o 

Phoenixville 

.     .      100 

Factory 

50 

Eastford          .         

200 

None 

o 

50 

None 

0 

North    Ashford 

50 

None 

o 

Total 


1,200 


400 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


72  REPORT  ON   INVESTIGATION   OF 

THE  WILLIMANTIC  RIVER. 

The  Willimantic  River  combines  with  the  Nachaug  and  forms 
the  Shetucket  just  below  the  city  of  Willimantic.  It  has  a  drain- 
age area  of  about  223  square  miles,  is  35  miles  long  and  flows 
swiftly  through  a  broad  open  valley.  The  principal  sources  of  pol- 
lution are  the  city  of  Willimantic  and  the  towns  of  South  Cov- 
entry, Eagleville,  Mansfield  Depot,  South  Willington  and 
Stafford  Springs.  The  river  is  badly  polluted  at  Willimantic 
and  just  below  Stafford  Springs  where  the  water  is  slightly 
discolored  by  dyes  from  the  mills. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

o>               t 

ta             o 
P             K 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

Colon 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
I'arts  Per  Million 

Per  Cent.  Saturation  | 

At  Mouth 

78 

8/7     10:30     25 
8/6     10:30     25 
8/6     10:45     25 
8/6     11:00     25 
8/6     11:30     25 
8/6     11:40     25 
8/6      11:55     25 
8/6     12:10     25 
8/6        1:00     25 

77        3 
77      20 
77        7 
77        5 
77        6 
77        4 
77        6 
77      11 
77      19 

4.72 
2.45 
3.3 
3.81 
3.63 
3.99 
3.86 
3.45 
3.81 
3.45 
3.63 
2.72 
4.54 
3.63 
4.81 
2.91 
2.63 
1.45 

55 
28 
39 
45 
43 
47 
45 
41 
45 
41 
43 
32 
54 
43 
57 
34 
31 
17 

Above  Highway  Bridge,  Willimantic. 
Above  Willimantic  below  Hop  River. 
Above  Hop  River    

A 
...65 
A 
.  ..    66 
A 
.  .  .    67 

At   South   Coventry 

A 

68 

At    Eagleville 

A 

69 

At  Mansfield  Depot  .  .  . 

A 

70 

At  South  Willington 

A 
71 

Below  Stafford  Springs 

A 
72 

A 

* 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population  1914 

Sewerage 
System 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

Statistics  of 
Manufactures 

1 
--III    1 

~                        gj                      0                        ^                      S 

*     5     ^      «      SJ 
~      £     *      ?      5* 

Metal  Works 

Willimantic    

11,278 

Partial      11,200 
Factory           600 
Factory             50 
None                    0 
None                   0 
Factory            50 
None                    0 
Partial        2.000 

6        2 
3        1 
1 

1        2 

'2 

2 

South  Coventrv 

800 

Eagleville  ...'... 

200 

Mansfield   Station    

....         100 

Merrow   .... 

100 

South   Willington    .  .  . 

300 

1 

..       .. 

Tolland  Station     

.  .  .  .         100 

Stafford   Springs 

3  000 

7 

1 

Total  . 

.    15.878 

13/900 

9      12 

1        2 

3 

0 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


73 


EH   MILLION 

N  (H  * 


6  P 


3j 


I 


\ 


ACc 


74 


REPORT   ON    INVESTIGATION   OF 


MIDDLE   RIVER,   SQUARE   POND   BROOK,   FURNACE 

BROOK. 

Square  Pond  Brook,  Middle  River  and  Furnace  Brook  unite 
to  form  the  Willimantic.  Their  total  drainage  area  is  about  50 
square  miles.  They  are  swift  streams  flowing  through  a  hilly 


FURNACE    BROOK,    STAFFORD. 


country.  Middle  River  receives  some  pollution  from  the  fac- 
tories at  Orcuttville  and  Square  Pond  Brook  from  those  at  West 
Stafford.  Furnace  Brook  is  very  badly  polluted  below  Stafford 
by  the  dyes  and  wastes  from  a  large  woolen  mill. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 
MIDDLE  RIVER. 


75 


c 
o 

c 

r*                 •*- 

o> 

o        2 

<§ 

be 

Location. 

a 

So     §~                1 

i     ra 

*J  "O     +•>  CD                  -o 

^ 

eg  o5     eg  ri 

—  s-      ~  7? 

p.     a 

®  60      ®  m                        J- 

33 

a        „ 

^,         n—    D.g       rt       o 

w        ^ 

a     -2 

g      as  a^a    ^    g 

"^ 

&        Q 

<D  Oi       0)   Cfi          O          "- 

n      HO  Hfc     o    o 

£   £ 

At  Orcuttville 

.  .    74     8/6     2 

:30      25      77        6      3., 

?6      40 

A 

3. 

33      43 

SQUARE  POND  BROOK. 

At  Stafford  Springs  Station 

.73      8/6      1 

:15      25      77        3      2. 

72      32 

A 

2. 

3        34 

Below  West   Stafford 

75      8/6      2 

:45     25     77        2     4. 

3        58 

A 

4., 

59      54 

FURNACE  BROOK. 

Below    Stafford    

76      8/6      3 

:00     25     77        9     3. 

35      40 

A 

2. 

)9      24 

At    Staffordville 

77      8/6      3 

:30      25      77        4      5. 

.8      61 

A 

7. 

56      87 

FURNACE   BROOK. 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

iH 
OJ 

r-l 

II 

0>                           ID        ° 
iJO                        -S  ...  '-£ 

,jf 

ll 

I§       IN 

.2  5^ 

'£  Pi 

fe  to                             *[~i    >    p. 

ed  ^  ^ 

CO   O 

O  >>                         to  <D   O 

-t^  ^  ^ 

HHH 

02  W                    HSCPn 

cOi^H 

1  000 

Factory              300 

2 

Staffordville             .  .           ... 

500 

Factory              200 

2 

MIDDLE  RIVER. 

Orcuttville 

200 

None                        0 

Elithorpe   .  . 

....       200 

J^one                        0 

SQUARE  POND   BROOK. 

West  Stafford 

500 

None                        0 

• 

Total    

2,400 

500 

4 

76 


REPORT  ON   INVESTIGATION   OF 


CONNECTICUT  5TATD   BOARD  OF    HEALTH 

REPORT   TO    GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  ON    STREAM    POLLUTION 

MAP   SHOWING   THE  DRAINAGE   AREA 

HOUSATONIG  &   NAUGATUCK       RIVERS 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  HOUSATONIC  RIVER. 


77 


The  Housatonic  River  enters  Long  Island  Sound  at  Stratford, 
and  is  tidal  to  Derby,  a  distance  of  about  eight  miles.  It  has  a 
drainage  area  of  about  1,930  square  miles,  527  of  which  lie  in 
Massachusetts.  From  the  state  line  to  the  entrance  of  the  Still 
River  it  flows  through  a  valley  of  limestone  formation  and  from 
thence  to  the  Sound  through  a  region  of  crystalline  rock.  It  has  a 
fall  of  about  nine  feet  to  the  mile  from  the  State  Line  to  Falls  Vil- 
lage, from  Falls  Village  to  Cornwall  Bridge  about  19  feet,  from 


HOUSATONIC    RIVER,    DERBY. 

Cornwall  Bridge  to  entrance  of  the  Shepaug  River  10  feet,  and 
from  thence  to  the  Sound  3.5  feet.  Its  main  tributaries  in  Con- 
necticut are  the  Naugatuck,  Blackberry,  Still,  Shepaug,  Pom- 
eraug,  Eight  Mile  and  the  Ten  Mile  Rivers,  most  of  the  latter 
lying  in  New  York  State.  The  numerous  waterfalls  and  rapids 
on  the  river  afford  excellent  means  of  aeration,  and  assist  mate- 
rially in  preventing  objectionable  conditions. 

The  river  shows  some  signs  of  pollution  from  its  mouth  to 
Derby,  between  Derby  and  West  Cornwall  it  appears  to  be  in  very 
fair  condition  but  from  West  Cornwall  to  the  State  Line  its  con- 
dition gradually  grows  worse.  The  evidences  of  pollution  at  the 
State  Line  are  probably  due  to  the  manufacturing  wastes  and 
sewage  discharged  into  it  by  Great  Barrington,  Stockbridge,  Lee, 
Lenox,  Pittsfield  and  Dalton  in  Massachusetts. 


78  REPORT   ON   INVESTIGATION   OF 

SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

<v 
e8 
Q 

h 

3 

o 
K 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

§ 

a 

Dissolved  Oxvgen 
Parts  Per  Million 

Per  Cent.  Saturation 

At  Mouth                                 

219 

9/10 

3 

:25 

23 

73 

?, 

4.24 

48 

A 

218 

9/10 

3 

•10 

?3 

73 

0 

5.18 
4.99 

59 
57 

Below  Fowler's  Island   

A 

217 

9/10 

?, 

:45 

23 

73 

0 

4.24 
6.69 

48 
77 

Opposite   Long   Hill             

A 
216 

9/10 

2 

•?o 

?3 

73 

4 

5.84 
5.94 

67 

68 

Below  Junction  of  Naugatuck  River.  . 

A 

215 
A 
181 

9/10 
9/1 

2 

8 

:00 

•00 

23 

?6 

73 
79 

5 
0 

3.67 
5.46 
4.62 
5.18 

42 
62 
53 

63 

A 

182 

9/1 

8 

:10 

26 

79 

o 

5.28 
5  37 

64 
65 

At  Zoar's  Bridge  

A 

183 

9/1 

8 

•30 

?.fi 

79 

1 

6.22 

7.07 

75 

86 

At  Bennett's  Bridge 

A 
184 

9/1 

8 

:55 

26 

79 

o 

4.24 

7  07 

51 

S6 

Below  Entrance  of  Shepaug  River.  .  .  . 
Above  Shepaug  River            

A 

185 
A 
199 

9/1 
9/2 

9 

5 

:40 
:30 

26 
26 

79 

78 

6 

3 

5.84 
6.50 
5.84 
7  63 

71 

79 
71 
qo 

At  Rockv  Hill  Bridge 

A 
198 

9  /2 

5 

•00 

26 

79 

4 

5.65 
8  10 

68 
9S 

Above  Entrance  of  Still  River   

A 

197 

9/2 

4 

•30 

9fi 

79 

18 

6.50 
7  16 

79 

S7 

Below  New  Milford 

A 

208 

9  /8 

q 

•15 

24 

75 

4 

5.09 
4  71 

61 
55 

At   Boardman's   Bridge        

A 

209 

9  /8 

q 

:40 

24 

75 

5 

4.99 
5  *>8 

58 
61 

At  Gaylordsville 

A 

210 

9  /8 

10 

•10 

24 

75 

4 

5.56 
5  09 

65 
50 

At  Kent    

A 
212 

9/8 

1? 

•45 

?4 

75 

5 

5.46 
6  4 

64 
75 

At  Cornwall  Bridge      

A 
213 

9  /8 

1 

•40 

24 

75 

5 

6.31 
6  12 

73 
71 

At  West  Cornwall        

A 

214 

9/10 

? 

•00 

94 

75 

4 

6.31 
6  5 

73 

76 

At  Falls  Village   

A 

223 

9  714 

10 

•15 

18 

64 

21 

5.09 
6  6 

59 
69 

Below   Entrance   of  Blackberry   River 
At  State  Line   

A 

224 
A 
225 

9/14 
9  714 

10 
11 

:50 
•40 

17 
17 

63 
63 

3 

4 

6.5 
5.94 
5.09 
4  71 

68 
60 
52 
48 

A 

4.52 

46 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


79 


Statistics  of  Manufactures. 


Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population 

a      Si 

n  IM 

5*     S5f 

COW             HccPn 

fc    H>        n                        «      -S 

alljllfl 
Slip  a  1  11 

03     H    O^  O      O      J      H-      S 

Breweries 
Rubber  Wor 

2  500 

Partial        100 
Partial     5,500 
Partial     4,500 
None                0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
Factory      200 
None              50 
None                 0 
None                 0 
Partial    4,000 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
None                 0 
Factory        50 
Factory       100 
Private          50 
None                 0 

Derby                

.  .  .     6,000 

1    ....      1      2    .  .      9 
2      3      2    8 

1    .  . 

Shelton    

....     5,000 

100 

oquaniucK    

100 

100 

100 

100 

400 

1    1      1 

.  .      1 

300 

1 

Hawleyville 

200 

Still    River 

200 

New    Milford 

4  500 

.  .      1    2 

Boardman's    Bridge 
Merwinsville  

100 
100 
200 

South  Kent 

200 

Kent    ...             .       . 

500 



Flanders     
Macedonia 

100 
100 

North  Kent 

100 

Cornwall    

....        200 

Cornwall   Bridge    .  . 

200 

1     •                      1 

West   Cornwall    .  .  . 
Lime    Rock           .  . 

200 
....        200 

Falls    Village     .... 

200 

South  Canaan    .... 

....        100 

Total     . 

.    22.100 

14.550 

2622121   21 

1      1 

8o 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  NAUGATUCK  RIVER. 


81 


The  Naugatuck  River  enters  the  Housatonic  below  Derby.  It 
has  a  drainage  area  of  about  331  square  miles  and  is  a  very 
rapid  stream  flowing  through  a  narrow  valley  with  high  hills  on 
both  sides.  On  it  are  many  dams  and  mill  ponds  and  its  flow 
is  quite  variable,  in  fact,  during  the  dry  season  there  is  very  little 
water  flowing  in  some  portions  of  the  river.  The  river  is  badly 
polluted.  Ansonia,  Naugatuck  and  Waterbury  empty  their  sew- 


NAUGATUCK    RIVER,    DERBY. 

age  untreated  into  it  and  the  manufacturing  wastes  from  the  mills 
and  factories  tend  to  increase  further  a  condition  already  deplor- 
able. Foul  odors  are  very  noticeable  and  decomposing  sludge  and 
other  deposits  are  visible  at  low  water  all  along  the  banks  of  the 
river.  In  a  number  of  places  outhouses  are  located  directly  on 
the  river.  Above  Waterbury  the  condition  of  the  fiver  is  im- 
proved but  from  Thomaston  to  Torrington  there  are  evidences  of 
pollution. 


82 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


NAUGATUCK  RIVER,   NAUGATUCK. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


CONNECTICUT     STATE      BOARD      OF      HEALTH 

REPORT    TO    GENERAL    ASSEMBLY    ON    STREAM    POLLUTION 

MAP    ShOWlNG    5EWER    OUTLETS 

NAUGATUGK        CONN 


86 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 
SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

V 

a 
Q 

M 

I 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

c 

0 

§ 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
Parts  Per  Million 

a 
3 

1 

a 
cc 

1 

h 

03 

Hi 

At   Mouth    

158 

8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/26 
8/28 
8/28 
8/28 
8/28 
8/28 
8/28 
8/28 
8/28 
8/28 
8/28 
8/28 

8:40 
8  :55 
9:05 
9:30 
9:55 
10:30 
10:50 
11:10 
11:40 
12:00 
12:30 
12:45 
9:00 
9:30 
10:15 
10:25 
10:35 
10:50 
11  :15 
11:30 
11:40 
11  :55  ' 
12:10 

22 
22 
22 
22 
22 
22 
22 
22 
22 
22 
22 
22 
21 
22 
21 
21 
21 
21 
21 
21 
21 
21 
20 

72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
72 
70 
72 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
70 
68 

21      4.33      49 
2.26      25 
23      5.74      65 
4.52     51 
24     4.99      56 
3.01      34 
55      4.90      55 
4.24      48 
19      4.05      45 
1.98      22 
6      6.22      70 
3.30      37 
2      5.84      66 
3.77     42 
9      4.80      54 
4.43      50 
1      1.60      18 
.75        8 
8      3.86      43 
1.97      22 
2      4.71      53 
3.48      39 
3      3.48      39 
3.86     43 
6      4.24      47 
3.01      33 
6      5.37      60 
4.71      53 
6      5.46      60 
3.86      42 
3      4.90      54 
2.73      30 
5      4.52      50 
3.58      39 
8      5.09      56 
5.65      62 
9      5.28      58 
Broken  Bottle 
1      4.62      51 
4.14      46 
4      5.18      57 
5.37      59 
1      4.80      53 
4.80      53 
3      5.61      61 
6.60     71 

At  Derby 

A 

159 

At    Ansonia     

A 
160 

Below    Seymour 

A 

161 

At    Seymour    

A 
162 

At    Pine    Bridge 

A 

163 

At    Beacon    Falls    
Below    Naugatuck 

A 
164 

A 
165 

At    Naugatuck     

A 
.  .  .  .             166 

Above    Union    City 

A 

167 

At  Hopeville   

A 
168 

Lower  End  Waterbury 

A 
169 

Upper   End  Waterbury 

A 
170 

Above    Waterville 

A 

171 

At    Reynolds    Bridge    

A 
172 

Below    Thomaston 

A 
173 

At    Thomaston     

A 
174 

Above    Thomaston     . 

A 
175 

At    Campville     

A 
176 

At  East  Litchfield 

A 

177 

Below    Torrington     

A 
178 

At    Torrington     

A 

170 

At  West   Torrington    

A 
180 

A 

88 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population  1914 

Sewerage 

System 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

Silk  Mills 

Textile  Works  w 
Galvanizing  U 
Works  tt 
Dye  Works 

of 

1 
"E 

73 

a 

3 

ctf 

J 

Manufactures. 

to 

CO        ~         i*         V) 

53      m     _     "      a) 

8    §  2   IS    2 

fe     PL,     §     O     W 

Rubber 

Derby     

.      3,000 

Partial 
Partial 
Factory 
None 
Factory 
None 
Partial 
Partial 
None 
None 
Complete 
Factory 
Factory 
None 
None 
Factory 
None 
Factory 
None 
None 
None 
Partial, 
None 
None 
None 

2,500 
15,000 
2,500 
0 
200 
0 
12,000 
400 
0 
0 
80,000 
400 
100 
0 
0 
600 
0 
100 
0 
0 
0 
18,000 
0 
0 
0 

3             1 

Ansonia             .    .  . 

.    16,140 

.  .      1    . 

1 

1 

.  .       1   14      1    .  . 

Seymour    

.      5,284 

Oxford  

100 

Straitsville    

100 

.  .     .  .      1    .... 

Naugatuck  

.   12,400 

.  .      1   .  . 
....      1 

1 

3 

Union  City  

.      1,000 

3 

Middlebury     

100 

Hopeville  

100 

Waterbury    

81,800 
800 

1    .  .      1 
1 

1 

5 

1      2  49    .         2 
4 

•  • 

Waterville  

Greystone  

300 

Hancock  

100 

.  . 

Reynolds  Bridge.  .  . 
Thomaston  

100 
.      3,(52G 

3 

*  * 

Plymouth  

800 

Northfield     

400 
100 

.  .    .  .      1 

Fluteville  

Esst  Litchfield   .  .  . 
Harwinton      

100 
100 
18,200 
200 
100 
100 

Tcrrington     

.  .      1    .  . 

1 

9 

West  Torrington    . 
Daytonville 

"  * 

Winchester     Center 

Total     

345,350 

131,800 

152 

1 

7 

1     5  100    1     3 

3 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


!     .. 


\ 


\ 


\ 


\ 


\ 


\ 


A 7 


V 


NAUGATUCK         RIVtR 


9O  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

STEEL  BROOK. 

Steel  Brook  enters  the  Naugatuck  from  the  west  at  Water- 
bury.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  18  square  miles  and  is  a  rapid 
stream  flowing  through  a  quite  hilly  country.  The  river  receives 
some  pollution  for  its  entire  length  and  its  condition  is  particu- 
larly bad  below  Watertown  where  the  water  is  somewhat  discol- 
ored by  wastes  and  sewage  from  that  city. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 

1 

<D 
"ft 

G 

oj 

m 

% 
P 

t4 

1 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

| 

o 
u 

Dissolved  Oxy 
Parts  Per  Mil 

Per  Cent.  Sati 

Mouth 
Below 
Below 
Below 
Opposi 
Above 

338 

12/3 
12/3 
12/3 
12/3 
12/3 
12/3 

9:00 
9:40 
10:10 
10:30 
11:00 
11  :30 

1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
1 

34 
34 
34 
34 
34 
34 

12 
1 
1 
0 
5 
8 

5.98 
6.36 
5.89 
5.60 
6.74 
6.07 
3.99 
5.03 
5.98 
7.98 
6.53 
6.84 

42 
44 
41 
39 
47 
42 
28 
35 
42 
60 
45 
48 

Oakville    

A 
339 

Rockdale    

A 
340 

Watertown 

A 

341 

te   Watertown    

A 
342 

Watertown 

A 
343 

A 

Statistics  of 
Manufactures 

Oi 
H 

to 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

"§"£ 
93 
^S1 

be 

s  § 

111 

m 

1 
M 

3tal  Work 

HOn 

CQCQ 

HM(£ 

M 

S 

Oakville 

500 

Factory 
None 
Partial 

300 
0 
3,000                2 

2 

Rockdale      .... 

100 

Watertown   

4,150 

Total 

.  .  4,750 

3,300 

2 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  91 

THE  EIGHT  MILE  RIVER. 

The  Eight  Mile  River  enters  the  Housatonic  from  the  east  at 
Riverside.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  15  square  miles.  It  is  a 
rather  shallow  stream  flowing  through  a  rolling  wooded  country, 
sparsely  settled.  The  river  is  polluted  below  Southford,  the  wa- 
ter being  quite  badly  discolored.  The  other  portions  of  the  river 
appear  to  be  in  very  fair  condition. 

SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 


3  03    3+J 

.fcj  r^     +J    Q2 

£  os  ??.a 


Is 


a 

w 

1 

I 

S3 

O>   o> 

0>  o3 

JD 
"o 
u 

1<2 

<t> 

Mouth  

329 

11/25 

8 

:30 

1 

33 

f> 

6.17 

4? 

Below    Southford           .    .  .  , 

A 
,  336 

11/25 

3 

:45 

2 

36 

1 

7.60 
5.98 

53 

A 
337 

11/25 

4 

:00 

1 

33 

o 

5.98 
7  03 

43 

A 

6.46 

45 

rH 
0) 

Name  of  City 

Ti   ° 

•e     S 

O  p» 

or  Borough 

+j£3                bo 

9s              0)0) 
Bft                £  M 

»    5 

III 

-H  fe  Pi 

IS 

CQ  5)  o 

Southford   . 

.   200         Factory 

50 

1 

92  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

THE  POMPERAUG  RIVER. 

The  Pomperaug  River  enters  the  Housatonic  at  Bennett's 
Bridge.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  92  square  miles  and  is  a 
swift  stream,  flowing  through  a  very  hilly  country.  The  river 
receives  some  pollution  at  South  Britain  but  in  general  its  con- 
dition is  very  good. 


Location. 

1 

3 
* 

"3, 

W                Q 

a  c       •£ 
S®       * 
22               *s      "5 

303     3*3                    OS           £ 
*J-O  -j-j  &                  Tj  t* 

£  g  g.a              <D  «>       •£ 

|a  *§       |^    | 

6            O§u>c3        "o-SSei          fe 

Mouth  

330      11/25 

9  :25        1     33        1     8  83     62 

Below    South    Britain     

A 
331      11/25 

9.85     69 
10  :15       1     33       ft     s  4.R     .^Q 

Below    Pomeraug 

332     11  /25 

11  '00       1     3 

9.21     64 
^        *;     »i7      P;? 

At   Woodbury    

333     11  /25 

9.59     «7 
11  *40        133        3      8  36      58 

Below  Hotchkissville 

.    334.      11   /9R 

6.46     45 
12  '20       1     33        2   12  44     87 

Below  Minortown  on  Nonewaug  river  335     11  /25 

8.36     58 
1:30       1     33       1     8.83     62 
7.22     50 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

T-l 

2 
|| 

a 

"S  £  « 

O  S-  w 

ill 

c8  c3 

S3 

If 

a  &~ 

O  ci  3 

i^rt 

•-S  ft 

QJ       R     4-i 

03   O 

HP-, 

CCM 

K«2^ 

0>S^ 

South   Britain        

200 

Factory 

50 

1 

200 

None 
None 
Factory 

0 
0 
50 

"i 

Woodbury 

300 

Hotchkissville 

300 

100 

None 

0 

Bethlehem 

100 

None 

0 

Total   

1,200 

100 

2 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  SHEPAUG  RIVER. 


93 


The  Shepaug  River  flows  into  the  Housatonic  about  17  miles 
above  Derby.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  154  square  miles 
and  a  fall  of  about  30  feet  to  the  mile.  It  flows  through  a  rough 
and  hilly  region  of  crystalline  rock  formation.  The  general  con- 
dition of  this  river  is  quite  good,  though  there  appears  to  be  some 
pollution  where  it  enters  the  Housatonic. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 

JO 

Z 

2 
ft 

a 

o> 

mp'arature 
Qtigrade 

mperature 
hrenheit 

a 

0 

ssolved  Oxy 
rts  Per  Mill 

3 
aS 
CO 

^ 

1 

;_, 

A 

CS 

P 

o 

W 

CD   QJ 

EHO 

E-H 

§ 

P£ 

S 

PH 

At  Mouth            ... 

186 

9  /I 

9  :55 

24 

75 

3 

3  58 

41 

A 

*/  /  J. 

4^99 

58 

At  Roxbury  Falls   

187 

9/1 

10:15 

24 

75 

1 

4.14 

48 

A 

4.80 

86 

At   Roxbury   Station 

.  .  .    188 

9  /l 

10  :50 

23 

73 

1 

4  43 

51 

A 

*^  /  •*• 

4.62 

53 

Below  Washington    

189 

9/1 

11:15 

23 

73 

12 

4.62 

53 

A 

4.90 

56 

Above    New   Preston 

.    190 

9  /I 

11  :40 

23 

73 

21 

5  09 

58 

A 

/ 

4.14 

47 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 


I  Statistics 
of  Manu- 
factures. 


II 

|1 

?    M 
&% 

!§f    s 

1         £ 

Roxbury  Falls    .  . 

100 

None 

0 

1 

Roxbury    Station    

.      100 

None 

0 

Roxbury     

500 

Partial 

100 

Judd's    Bridge 

100 

None 

o 

Washington 

500 

Partial 

100 

Washington    Station 

100 

None 

o 

New    Freston 

100 

None 

o 

Rjomford 

100 

None 

o 

Morris    Station         .  . 

.     ...      100 

None 

o 

Woodvllle     

100 

None 

0 

Warren      

100 

None 

0 

Milton 

100 

None 

o 

East    Cornwall 

100 

None 

o 

West    Goshen 

300 

None 

o 

Bantam 

500 

Partial 

300 

2 

Bantam    Falls     

100 

None 

0 

Litchfleld 

1,500 

Disposal 

plant    1,000 

Goshen 

300 

None 

0 

Total     . 

.  .  4,800 

1,500 

2            1 

94 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  STILL  RIVER. 


The  Still  River  enters  the  Housatonic  from  the  west  at  Still- 
river,  about  two  miles  below  New  Milford.  It  has  a  drainage 
area  of  about  63  square  miles.  It  is  a  fairly  rapid  stream  flowing 


STILL   RIVER   AT   DANBURY. 


through  a  rolling  country  of  low  hills.  On  it  are  many  small 
dams  and  mill  ponds.  The  river  is  badly  polluted  for  its  entire 
length  but  conditions  are  particularly  offensive  just  below  Dan- 
bury.  Danbury  treats  its  sewage  and  most  of  the  pollution  is 
due  to  manufacturing  wastes. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


u  FOLurriotg 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATFON  OF 


I' 


DfVOTC*    A*   1. 

•       A,    res 


\ 


V 


v 


STILL      RIVER 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 
SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


97 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

•2 

oJ 

p 

I 

5  * 
if 

a>  a> 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

Colon 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
Parts  Per  Million 

Per  Cent.  Saturation 

At    Mouth    .  .                      .  .               .... 

.  .    196 

9/2 
9/2 
9/2 
9/2 
9/2 
9/2 

4:15 
3:50 
3:25 
3:05 
2:45 
2:30 

26 
26 
26 
26 
26 
26 

79 
79 
79 
79 
79 
79 

5 
3 
22 
10 
12 
32 

4.9 
3.3 
6.5 
5.37 
4.14 
2.73 
4.33 
3.11 
2.26 
.47 
4.71 
1.98 

59 
40 

7!) 

65 
50 

52 
57 
27 
5 
57 
24 

Below     Brookfield 

A 
.  .    195 

At    Brookfield    Junction     

A 
.  .    194 

Below     Danbury 

A 
193 

At  Danbury    oppo    R    R    Station.... 

A 
.  .    192 

Above     Danbury 

A 
191 

A 

•rH 

s 

Name  of  City                ^  g 
or  Borough                  ££                  §, 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

Silk  Mills  M 
Galvanizing  £• 
Works  a 

Textile  Works  2 

Cfi 

of 

8 

^ 

w 

5 

Manufactures. 

m 

O                 W 

»      "c  «  -a 

III!! 

W          3         •£        P,      -M 

Cd          rf          ^        oj        CD 

Lanesville                         100     None 

Plant 

0 
100 
0 
2,000 
25,000 
0 

Brookfield               .  .         300     Factory 

1 

Brookfield    Junction        50     None 
Bethel             .  .         .      3,978     Partial 

1 
1 

14      2 
39      4 

i  o 

Danbury    25,122     Disposal 

2 

1 

i 

1      4 

All  11    Plain                         100     None 

2 

1 

53      6 

11 

Total                   .  .    29  600 

27,100 

2 

i 

1     4 

THE  TEN  MILE  RIVER. 

The  Ten  Mile  River  enters  the  Housatonic  about  two  miles 
above  Gaylordsville.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  75  square 
miles,  most  of  which  is  in  the  state  of  New  York.  There  are  no 
towns  in  Connecticut  on  the  river.  At  its  entrance  into  the  Hous- 
atonic is  seems  to  be  in  very  good  condition. 


98  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 


0 

I 


o         ra 

II  t 


HO 


At  Mouth  211   9  /8   11 :45   26   79   13   6.88   80 

A  6.44   75 


THE  BLACKBERRY  RIVER. 

The  Blackberry  River  enters  the  Housatonic  from  the  east 
about  three  miles  below  the  State  Line.  It  has  a  drainage  area 
of  about  48  square  miles  and  flows  through  a  rather  narrow  lime- 
stone valley.  The  river  shows  some  signs  of  pollution  at  Ca- 
naan and  East  Canaan  but  its  general  condition  is  not  bad. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


| 

a  a       "5 

03  O            ? 

03 
J3 

££     B 

Location. 

I                           £„  ^          dS     S 

Z                                          F 

^      -*^   03                          T3   ^<                 * 

d     03^                 03  ®        -1-" 

!       3         B      I 

,.£P  o,  ?     a     "3  w      o 

!-g     g^       o       g-g        ^ 

9            ia              o         g 

02                Q                    M            HO     Hfc        O         QPi          dn 

At 

Mouth    

22fi      9/14      12  :00      13      KS         7      fi.03      fifi 

^ 

5.75      54 

<\  t 

Canaan 

227     9/14     12*45     1 

3     55        3     6  22     58 

A 

5.56     52 

At 

East    Canaan         .  . 

228      9/14        1  '30      ' 

3     55        5     7.44     70 

6.22     58 

Statistics  of 

•* 

Manufactures. 

Cl 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

si 

03                                |        | 

a  •  4  J  i   • 

£3        o>        '£        S         ® 

a  *3 

§  1        115 

S       S       <">               "^ 
•^      s       a      13       n 

&  "to             *n  fe  P* 

,*      o       a       -2       cs 

w  o 

03    t^>                               CC  ^)    O 

HP- 

WtQ                    EHCCM 

W       O        H        S        C' 

1,000 

Disposal  Plant         800 

1 

...      1,000 

Factory                      500 

1       ..         1        2 

Cr 

w 

100 

None                               0 
None                               0 

pot      NTnrfnlk 

100 

Norfnl1r 

1,600 

Disposal  Plant     1,500 

1      .  .         1      .  .       .. 

Total 

,     3,800 

2,800 

12112 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


99 


THE  WEQUETEQUOCK  RIVER. 

The  Wequetequock  River  enters  Long  Island  Sound  just  east 
of  Stonington.  It  is  practically  a  tidal  estuary  with  the  town  of 
Wequetequock  at  its  head.  It  shows  some  signs  of  pollution 
though  its  condition  on  the  whole  is  fairly  good. 

SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 


g   2-2 

s  &| 


HO 


fl  O  02 

I   Is 

O        QpLn 


Mouth   at  R.  R.   Bridge 
At   Trolley   Bridge    


124  8/17     2:15     25     73        7     3.63  43 

A  3.38  40 

125  8/17     2.45     25     73     13     4.01  47 

A  3.38  40 


IOO  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

THE  MYSTIC  RIVER. 

The  Mystic  River  flows  into  Mystic  Harbor  at  Mystic.  It 
has  a  drainage  area  of  about  23  square  miles  and  flows  through  a 
hilly,  wooded  region.  On  it  are  the  towns  of  Mystic  and  Old 
Mystic.  The  river  seems  badly  polluted  for  its  entire  length.  Its 
condition  is  relieved  somewhat  by  the  tidal  flow  of  water  brought 
in  from  the  Sound. 

SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND  DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

1 

"S 

a 

ca 

as 

i 

i* 

3 
~ 

emperature 
entigrade 

emperature 
ahrenhelt 

"o 

issolved  Oxyg 
arts  Per  Milli 

er  Cent.  Satur 

Q 

q 

HO    Hfc 

O 

QP-i 

&< 

^  r 

Mouth 

120 

8  717 

10 

:55 

25      73 

1 

2  58 

?0 

A 

2.67 

31 

At 

Mystic    

121 

8/17 

11 

•10 

OK       70 

14 

2  67 

31 

A 

2.19 

26 

Tlpl 

ow   Old    Mystic    

122 

8/17 

11 

•45 

25     73 

3 

2.86 

34 

A 

1.91 

22 

THE  POQUONOC  RIVER. 

The  Poquonoc  River  enters  Long  Island  Sound  just  west  of 
Stonington.  It  is  practically  a  tidal  estuary  with  the  village  of 
Poquonoc  Bridge  at  its  head.  It  shows  signs  of  some  pollution. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Dissolved 
Oxygen 


vocation 

H 

"n 

ej 
W 

-2 
Q 

3 
0 

s 

S* 

fil 
ft§ 

HO 

Temperatun 
Fahrenheit 

Colon 

Parts  Per  M 

Per  Cent.  9a 

Mouth 

.    126 

8/18 

11:20 

24 

75 

1 

3.53 

41 

At   Railroad   Bridge 

A 
127 

8/18 

12:00 

24 

75 

4 

2.77 
3.63 

32 

42 

At    Poquonnoo    Bridge 

A 
.    128 

8/18 

12:30 

24 

75 

3 

3.34 
4.49. 

39 
52 

A 

3.53 

41 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  NIANTIC  RIVER. 


101 


The  Niantic  River  flows  into  the  Sound  at  Niantic.  It  has  a 
drainage  area  of  about  35  square  miles  and  receives  a  large  quan- 
tity of  salt  water  at  every  tide.  There  are  no  towns  of  anv  size 


on  this  river,  but  the  camp  grounds  of  the  National  Guard  and  a 
camp  of  the  Spiritualistic  sect  are  on  its  banks.  The  river  shows 
some  signs  of  pollution  but  its  general  condition  is  not  bad. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

imple  Number 

ri 

o' 

?mperature 
mtigrade 

|1 

a 

_O 

c  c 

3r  Cent.  Saturation 

02 

Q 

a 

HO 

H&H 

0 

QPL, 

PM 

At   Mouth    

129 

8/18 

•> 

•30 

24 

75 

0 

4  13 

48 

A 

3.25 

38 

Opposite    Division    Point    

130 

8  /18 

3 

:00 

24 

75 

0 

4  01 

47 

A 

3.25 

38 

Head    of    Navigation 

131 

8/18 

g 

•15 

24 

75 

8 

3  91 

-15 

A 

2.86 

33 

102 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

THE  HAMMONASSET  RIVER. 


The  Hammonasset  River  flows  into  the  Sound  below  Clinton. 
It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  45  square  miles  and  is  a  sluggish 
stream  except  in  its  upper  reaches.  There  are  no  towns  on  this 


river  and  the  houses  on  its  drainage  area  are  widely  separated. 
The  river  shows  signs  of  pollution  at  its  mouth  which  is  probably 
caused  by  fishery  wastes. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

1 

§ 

1- 

a  G 

as 
11 

Saturation 

£ 

"Srt 

"S-S 

"S  o 

*j 

a? 
"3, 
g 

-2 

*H 

0)  bfl 

II 

§ 

l« 

6 

w 

s 

w 

HO 

0    CI 

5 

5(S 

o> 

0. 

Mouth                                      ... 

.    349 

12/4 

2:00 

1.8 

35 

^> 

4.65 

3?; 

A 

4.08 

28 

Five    Miles    above    Mouth    

350 

12/4 

3:00 

7 

33 

1 

5.41 

38 

A 

5.89 

41 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  WEST  RIVER  (Guilford). 


103 


The  West  River  enters  the  Sound  at  Guilford.     It  has  a  drain- 
age area  of  about  19  square  miles  and  is  a  sluggish  stream  flowing 


through  marsh  and  meadow  land.     The  river  is  discolored  from 
its  mouth  to  Guilford,  above  which  place  its  condition  improves. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

03 

<3 

p 

c  fl 

o>  o 

OJ                 p                                        £?£ 

£0       £4-                        OS 

11  2l    •  11 

m  bo    o>  P                5 
t,         ev^    ft  g       c       o  _w 

O              QJ<DO)c3         "3         -2c3 

ffi          HO    Hfe       O       PP- 

Per  Cent.  Saturation 

Mouth      

348 

12  /4 

12  '20     2         35  6    2     5  39 

38 

Above    Guilford     

A 

347 

12  /4 

5.98 
12  '00     16     35        4     541 

43 

A 

7.69 

54 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Estimated 
Population  1914 

,     fl         ° 

0)                                    •§         0              Bl 

fi  a            -&S     I 

03  ®                     H  cs  3         T; 

B   M                                          53    fe    ft                  r> 

5)    >>                                   W   ®    O               ^J 

cccc                   HwCM        co 

^j  ^P 

IS 

Guilford 

2,000 

Partial              1,000 

1 

IO4 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  BRANFORD  RIVER. 

The  Branford  River  flows  into  Long  Island  Sound  just  below 
Branford.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  22  square  miles  and  is 
a  rather  sluggish  stream  except  in  its  upper  reaches  where  it 


flows  through  a  very  hilly  country  sparsely  settled.  The  river 
shows  signs  of  pollution  from  its  mouth  to  Branford.  Above 
Branford  its  condition  is  fair. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED    OXYGEN. 


.Location. 

"p, 

& 

w 

S 

& 

1 

Temperatul 
Centigrade 

Temperatul 
Fahrenheit 

a 

_O 

"o 
0 

Dissolved  O 
Parts  Per  IV 

Per  Cent.  S 

Mouth     

344 

12/4 
12/4 
12/4 

9:40 
10:20 
11:00 

3 
2 

8 

37 

1 
6 
3 

4.46 
4.84 
5.13 
5.89 
6.36 
6.55 

33 

35 
37 
42 
44 
46 

At   Branford 

A 

345 

Below  North   Branford    

A 
346 

A 

I   Statistics   of 
•«*                                                             !  Manufactures. 

Name  of  City                                      -a  § 

•e     § 

EH 

— 

or   Borough                                          .£:§                    §o 

^ 

~ 

II 

§s 

1-2 

£  w 

III 

S6& 

1 

cc 

1(2 

TOO} 

Pw^ 

% 

CJ 

Branford            

.    3,000 

Partial 

1,500 

2 

1 

200 

None 

0 

Total 

.    3,200 

1,500 

2     , 

1 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE   QUINNIPIAC   RIVER. 


105 


The  Quinnipiac  River  flows  into  New  Haven  Harbor.  It  has 
a  drainage  area  of  about  155  square  miles  and  is  tidal  to  Quinni- 
piac, a  distance  of  about  10  miles.  It  is  a  sluggish  stream  flow- 
ing through  a  wide  valley  of  sandstone  and  glacial  formation. 
From  Plainville  to  New  Haven  the  river  falls  only  five  feet  to 
the  mile.  The  principal  sources  of  pollution  are  the  sewer  out- 
lets along  its  banks  at  New  Haven,  the  sewage  of  Wallingford, 


the  wastes  from  the  factories  at  South  Meriden,  Milldale,  Flants- 
ville  and  Southington  and  the  factory  wastes  at  Meriden 
through  Harbor  Brook.  It  also  receives  the  effluent  from  the 
Meriden.  sewage  beds  and  that  from  the  Southington  sewage 
treatment  plant.  Major  fish  life  has  practically  disappeared  in 
the  vicinity  of  New  Haven  and  several  private  oyster  beds  have 
had  to  be  abandoned. 


io6 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


REPORT    TO    GCNtRAL    AiiCMBLY    ON    STREAM    POLLUTION 

M»F    SHOWING    stwtd    OUfLtTS 

MCRIDtN         •  CONN 


HARBOR   BROOK  AT    MERIDEN. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


107 


lONUtGTIGin      STATE       BOA.PD       Or      ntALTH 

RCPORT    TO    6CICRAL    A55tM8LY    ON    5TRCAM    POLLUTION 

MW>  SHOWING    itwtu  OUTLETS 

HCW    MAVCN  COMN 


io8 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 
SAMPLING    STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED    OXYGEN. 


109 


Location. 


II     I 

cl      1 


w 

c3 
Q 

0 

K 

<V    S 

HO 

H  •*•* 

0>  cti 

"3 
0 

5fi 

03 

cu 

At    Mouth     

202 

9/3 

10 

"55 

24 

75 

0 

3.19 

37 

A 

3.90 

46 

At  New  Haven,  Grand  Ave  

203 

9/3 

11 

:05 

24 

75 

26 

3.58 

41 

A 

3.39 

39 

At    Shore    Line    R.     R.     Bridge, 

New 

Haven     

.  .  .      20  t 

9/3 

11:15 

24 

75 

20 

3.48 

40 

A 

2.73 

32 

Opposite    Montowese     

.  ,    205 

9/3 

11 

:30 

24 

75 

0 

3.11 

36 

A 

2.83 

33 

Opposite   North    Haven    

.    206 

9/3 

12 

:05 

24 

75 

17 

4.52 

52 

A 

4.14 

48 

At     Quinnipiac     

207 

9/3 

1 

:10 

24 

75 

0 

5.09 

59 

A 

4.37 

41 

Below    Wallingford     

132 

8/21 

1 

:30 

26 

79 

2 

5.84 

71 

A 

6.78 

82 

At    Yalesville     

133 

8/21 

1 

:50 

26 

79 

5 

5.46 

66 

A 

5.09 

61 

At   South   Meriden    

134 

8/21 

2 

:30 

25 

77 

17 

2.04 

31 

A 

1.31 

15 

Below  Milldale    

136 

8/21 

3 

:40 

24 

75 

35 

3.77 

44 

A 

4.52 

52 

At    Plantsville     

137 

8/21 

3 

:50 

24 

75 

6 

3.11 

36 

A 

1.41 

16 

At    Southington     

140 

8/21 

5 

:50 

24 

75 

32 

3.30 

38 

A 

3.58 

41 

Above    Southington     

,  .     ,139 

8/21 

5 

:20 

24 

75 

34 

3.96 

46 

A 

4.14 

48 

Below    Plainville     

138 

8/21 

4 

:50 

23 

73 

97 

4.52 

52 

A 

4.05 

46 

Harbor    Brook    Mouth     

135 

8/21 

3 

:00 

28 

82 

88 

2.46 

31 

A 

2.54 

32 

iH 

0 

Statistics  of  Manufactures. 

bfl 

Name  of  City 
or   Borough 

II 

03 

fcc 

1.1 

03 

o 

|     5     1      • 

3 

II 

"-3   £    P, 

2 

If 

^""          Q)          c3 

s    §•    §    * 

-o 

d 

C3 

E3&H 

CO  CO 

[j3  co  £j        CQ 

of£ 

O          OH           *=           CO 

New  Haven  (part) 

26.700 

Complete 

26,500        1 

1 

1        4       .  . 

100 

None 

o 

300 

None 

o 

Quinnipiac 

100 

None 

0 

Wallingford     

8,690 

Partial 

8,500      .  . 

7 

1        13.. 

.  . 

Yalesville          .... 

600 

Factory 

300      .  . 

1 

Meriden     

33,414 

Disposal  plant 

33,400        1 

6 

1        2      22        3 

3 

South  Meriden 

300 

None 

o 

Milldale 

300 

Factory 

150 

2 

Marion     

100 

None 

0      .  . 

Plantsville 

3  000 

Partial 

2  000 

5 

Southington     .... 

3,000 

Disposal  plant 

2,000      .  . 

•- 

..      ..        6      .. 

Total     76,604 


72,850        2     14 


4     43 


no 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


qUIMMIPIAC          RIVER 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


Ill 


THE  MILL  RIVER. 

The  Mill  River  enters  the  Quinnipiac  just  above  the  head  of 
New  Haven  Harbor.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  44  square 
miles,  is  a  sluggish  stream  and  in  the  lower  part  of  the  town  of 
Hamden  is  dammed  to  impound  water  for  one  of  the  main  sup- 
plies of  New  Haven,  Lake  Whitney.  The  river  is  badly  polluted 
in  its  lower  portion  by  storm  overflows  f  rorn  the  New  Haven  sew- 
erage system  and  by  several  factories  along  its  banks.  Below 
Centerville  the  river  shows  considerable  pollution  probably  from 
the  textile  factory  located  there.  This  factory  is  installing  a  plant 
for  the  treatment  of  its  wastes  which  will  no  doubt  improve  the 
condition  of  the  river  at  this  point. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 


Sample  Nt 

-2 

oj 
Q 

o 
W 

£2 

sJ? 

CD   O 

E-0 

Temperati. 
Fahrenhei 

H 

"o 
O 

Dissolved 
Parts  Per 

Per  Cent.  5 

Mouth 

201 

9  /3 

10  • 

10 

24 

75 

5 

3  01 

35 

New    Haven     State    St     Bridge    .  .  , 

A 

,  .  .    150 

8  /25 

11  : 

40 

94 

75 

23 

2.45 
1  79 

28 

Augerville 

A 
151 

8/25 

12  • 

20 

24 

75 

o 

2.07 
4  99 

24 

Below    Centerville 

A 

152 

8  /25 

12  • 

•in 

24 

75 

o 

5.75 
4  05 

67 

47 

At    Mt     Carmel 

A 
153 

8  /25 

1  • 

00 

22 

72 

16 

2.35 
4  62 

27 

A 

4.71 

53 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 


CO  03 

S       £ 


New  Haven    (part)    45,000  Complete  45,000 

Augerville      100  None  0 

Centerville 200  Factory  100 

Mt.    Carmel     400  Factory  200 

Cheshire     500  Private  100 

Total     46,200  45,400 


12 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


NEW      HAVEN 


N 

S4  V 

*s 


1$~ 


*$       lo 

Ufc3 
?«> 

Mi " 


3.000 


le.o. 


7 


Miues  z  4-  G> 

MILL       RIVER 


So 


ZS 


Zo 


'bo 


Zoooo 


\        / 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  113 

THE  WEST  RIVER. 

The  Wrest  River  flows  into  the  New  Haven  Harbor.  It  has  a 
drainage  area  of  about  37  square  miles.  It  is  a  sluggish  stream  in 
its  lower  reaches  and  flows  through  salt  meadows.  Its  upper  por- 
tion has  considerable  fall  and  several  dams  and  mill  ponds  are 
located  on  it.  It  receives  the  wastes  of  fertilizing  factories  in 
West  Haven  and  of  factories  and  paper  mills  in  Westville.  Two 
storm  overflow  sewers  from  the  New  Haven  system  discharge 
into  it.  The  condition  of  the  river  is  bad. 

SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND  DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 


2      2 

5-§  5' 


o,«    a  £     a 

a  o  &A   3 


PC 


At    Mouth                      . 

200     9  /3 

10  :15     24 

7S 

1      2  45 

9S 

At   Allingtown    

157     8  /25 

4  :00     24     75 

2.45 
3     1.88 

28 
?? 

Below    Westville 

1  fifi      R  /2R 

3  -30     24     75 

.56 
12     4  05 

6 

47 

Lower   portion    of   Westville    155     8  /25 

3  :00     24     75 

3.67 
1        .471 

43 
5 

A 
Above      Westville      and      Pond      Lily 
Laundry                                                         1K4-     *  /??» 

•  2  '40     24     75 

.282 
0     5  18 

3 
60 

A 

3.86 

45 

Statistics  of 

•H 

Manufactures 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

Oi 

T-t 
?| 

a 

•8   1 

t 

8 

N        1 

.9       o 

in 
1 

11 

gg 

I  Si 

+3  te  P, 

i 

9 

d 

3 

H£ 

CQCQ 

W  5,0 

H«C- 

a 

Si    m 

i 

8  543 

Partial 

6,000      .  . 

2      .  . 

25  000 

Complete 

25,000      .  . 

1 

1 

Westville 

3  000 

Factory 

2,500       1 

^ 

4 

Total     . 

.    36,543 

33,500        1 

i 

2       1 

5 

REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OK 


•Soooo 


Eoooo 


MILES 


WEST     RIVER 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  115 

THE  PEQUONIC  RIVER. 

The  Fequonic  River  flows  into  Bridgeport  Harbor.  It  has  a 
drainage  area  of  about  36  square  miles.  It  is  a  sluggish  stream 
and  its  lower  portion  is  tidal  up  to  Berkshire  Dam.  The  river  is 


very  badly  polluted  all  along  Bridgeport ;  23  sewer  outlets  empty 
into  it  in  a  distance  of  one  and  one-half  miles.  The  water  is  badly 
discolored  and  at  periods  of  low  water  the  odor  is  extremely  of- 
fensive. 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


CONNECTICUT     STATE      BOARO      Or      HEALTH 

REPORT    TO    GENERAL    A55CMBLY    ON    STREAM    POLLUTION 

SHOWING    SEWER    OUTLETS    Of    THE    CITY 

BRIDGEPORT     CT 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


117 


u8 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


YELLOW     MILL    POND,    BRIDGEPORT. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 
SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


119 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

o> 
cS 
Q 

«- 

1 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

a 
o 

§ 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
Parts  Per  Million 

- 

0 

I 
3 

c3 
CD 

I 
h 

a; 

"-. 

At  Mouth,  opp.  N.  Y.    N.  H.  &  H. 

R.  R. 

.      275 

J      9/29 
9/29 
)      9/29 

•      9/29 
L 
J      9  /29 

9/29 

5      9/29 
L 
5      9/29 
1 
t      9/29 
^ 
9/29 
k. 
J      9/29 
L 
L      9/29 
i. 
)      9/29 

L      9/10 
L 
5     9/29 
L1 

1:15 
1  :00 
12:50 
12:40 
12:30 
12:20 
12:10 
12  :00 
11:55 
11  :45 
11:30 
11  :15 
11:00 
4:25 
4:50 

18 
18 

IS 
IS 

IS 
IS 

18 

IS 
IS 

18 

IS 
IS 
IS 

23 

2:; 

64 
64 

64 
64 
64 
64 
64 
64 
04 
64 
64 
64 
64 
73 
73 

12 
14 
18 
0 
3 
0 
25 
0 
3 
1 
1 
4 
2 
3 

o 

2.51 
3.81 
1.30 
0.18 
1.30 
0.27 
0.74 
0.37 
2.51 
0.46 
0.83 
0.46 
1.11 
0.37 
1.02 
0.83 
0.93 
0.55 
1.39 
1.39 
1.02 
0.55 
0.55 
0.27 
1.02 
0.55 
3.39 
0.84 
6.22 
4.05 

26 
39 
L3 

1 
L3 
2 

7 
3 
26 

4 

8 
4 
1  1 
3 

10 

8 
'.) 
5 
1  1 
1  1 
LO 
5 
5 
2 
IK 
5 
39 
l) 
71 
46 

Freight    Yards 

Below   Salts   Textile   Company    . 

A 
271 

Oppo    McNeil   Coal   Co 

1 

27( 

Below   Congress   St     Bridge    .  .  . 

A 
26! 

Oppo    Bridgeport  Crucible  Co 

1 

265 

Oppo.   Conn.   Web   &   Buckle   Co. 
Oppo     Sprague   Ice   &   Coal   Co 

1 
26r 

1 
.    ?(\< 

1 
Below  East  Washington  Ave.   Bridge.    26? 
1 
Oppo     F    Miller   Lumber   Co            ...    2fU 

Oppo.    Armstrong    Mfg.    Co.     .  .  . 

1 

....  2er 

Oppo.  A.  W.  Burritt  Lumber  Co. 
Oppo.  J.  A.  Black  Coal  &  Wood 
Oppo.   Berkshire   Coal   Yard    .  .  . 

; 
....  26: 

J: 

Co.    .    26] 
1 
26( 

Above  Berkshire  Coal  Yd.,  above 
At    Trumbull 

1 
Dam   22] 
i 
22* 

! 

Yellow   Mill   Pond,    Bridgeport    . 

....    22( 

>     9/10 

3: 

45 

23 

73 

1 

2.16 
0.84 

24 

1  1 

J 

•* 

rH 
OS 
rH 

Name  of  City          ^  fl 
or  Borough                             gi 

II     gi 

-i-  O,                 fe  OT 

wo          5  £ 

&30-I                  CCCO 

Estimated 
Sewage 
Population 

Silk  Mills 
Breweries  w 

Textile  Works  g. 
Galvanizing 
Works 
Dye  Works 

Mj 

Manufactures. 
X 

53 

O 

M    K     2 

•a  *  s  .  s  s  ! 

o      E    N  to  <5     •£     ;> 

!  1  1  fe  1  !  a 

CJ          C3      S^       OS         ^          0 
O       H^     fe^     PH        CC       ^ 

I 
o 

£ 

" 

0) 

Bridgeport          114,447   Complete 
N.  Bridgeport,            200  None 
Trumbull                    100  None 
Long    Hill                   100  Factory 
Stepney                       100  None 

114,400 
0 
0 
50 
0 

1      3 

6 

5 

2 

2 

10 

1      8 

2      1 

83 

i 

Total                 114,977 

114,450 

1      3 

7 

5 

2 

2 

10 

1      8 

2      1 

83 

120 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE    PEQUONIG    RIVER    AT    BRIDGEPORT 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 

THE  SAUGATUCK  RIVER. 


121 


The  Saugatuck  River  enters  Long  Island  Sound  at  Westport. 
It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  95  square  miles.     It  is  a  shallow 


CONNECTICUT  STATE    BOARD  Of    MEALTM 

REPORT    TO    GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  ON    STREAM    POLLUTION 

MAP    5HOWNG    THE    DRMNAGE    AREA 

SAUGATUCK  &  NORWALK.      RIVERS 


stream  in  some  portions  and  flows  through  a  hilly  wooded  re- 
gion. The  river  does  not  show  much  sign  of  pollution  except 
along  Westport  and  below  West  Redding. 


122  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


SAUGATUCK    RIVER,    WESTPORT. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 
SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


I23 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

-2 

ci 
Q 

& 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

"o 

u 

Dissolved  Oxyge 
Parts  Per  Millio 

Per  Cent.  Satura 

At 

At 
Bel 
Abi 

Al 
At 

Bel 

Mouth    (Saugatucks 

229 

9/15 
9/15 
9/15 
9/15 
9/15 
9  /1  5 
9/15 

11 

12 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 

:30 
:30 
:45 
:45 
:45 
:45 
:30 

24 
24 
24 
22 

19 
19 
17 

75 
75 
75 
72 
66 
66 
63 

0 
0 
() 
0 
0 
0 
0 

2.86 
3.58 
3.48 
1.69 
8.86 
7.92 
10.46 
8.01 
7.73 
8.20 
S.20 
7.54 
5.G5 
4.71 

45 
41 
40 
19 
103 
92 
118 
90 
82 
87 
87 
80 
58 
48 

Westport  
ow  Entrance  of  West  Branch... 
)ve  Entrance  of  Aspetuck  River  . 
Lyon  Plains 

A 

.    230 
A 
.    231 
A 
.    233 
A 
234 

Valley  Forge  
ow  West  Reddirg  . 

A 
.    235 
A 
236 

A 

<* 

Statistics    of 
Manufactures 

C3 

K 

x 

M 

CO 

Name  of  City 

«   * 

T3       H 

0 

W 

i* 

O 

15 

or  Borough 

V   0 

g 

•2      t£ 

(£ 

5 

^ 

1 

11 

-i-  ft 

CO    O 

S| 

5  *  "5 

cu 

X 

<D 

1 

JS 
o 
i. 
(8 

"S 

ECU 

t/JCO 

H  02  —        E-1 

CU 

u: 

s 

Saugatuck                          .  . 

.    1  500 

Factory 

500        1 

2 

Westport       

2,500 

Factory 

1,000        1 

1 

1 

2 

Weston      

100 

None 

0       .  . 

Lyon     Plains 

100 

None 

0 

Aspetuck 

100 

None 

0 

Valley    Forge     .  . 

100 

None 

0       .  . 

Redding      

100 

None 

o    .  . 

West    Redding 

100 

None 

0 

Total     . 

.     4,600 

1.500        2 

1 

1 

4 

I24 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  NORWALK  RIVER. 

The  Norwalk  River  flows    into  Norwalk    Harbor.     It    has    a 
drainage  area  of  about  63  square  miles  and  in  its  upper  reaches 


ccwtcnojT   srut    BOARD    or    MUUH 

TO    GtWPil    i55W«LT    ON    5TMAM    n>LUT»N 
MAP     SHO^IWG    3tWtR    Oo'LETa 


flows  through  a  hilly,  well  wooded  country.  The  river  is  badly 
polluted  from  South  Norwalk  to  Norwalk  and  is  very  much  dis- 
colored below  Georgetown. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 


125 


NORWALK   RIVER,    SOUTH    NORWALK. 


126  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


NORWALK    RIVER,    NORWALK. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 
SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


127 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

p 

t- 

s 

o 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

Colon 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
Parts  Per  Million 

1 

1 
0) 

GO 

I 

c 
C- 

At    Mouth    (Norwalk   Harbc 
At  South   Norwalk 

r)  .  .  .  . 

250 

9/18        3:45 
9/18        4:00 
9/18        4:30 
9/17      11:00 
9/15       6:45 
9/15        6:25 
9/15        6:00 

22 
22 
22 

22 
IS 
15 
15 

72 
72 
72 
72 
64 
59 
59 

0 

0 
0 
17 
0 
0 
0 

4.92 
3.25 
3.44 
2.60 
2.79 
0.93 
7.62 
5.24 
6.33 
6.60 
8.48 
6.21 
6.78 
5.84 

55 
36 
38 
29 

LO 

S7 
(Hi 
66 
69 

s:; 

66 
57 

A 

251 

At    Norwalk    

A 
.  .  .    252 

Below    Winnepaug 

A 

240 

At   Wilton 

A 
239 

Below   Georgetown    

A 
238 

Below    Sanford    Station 

A 

237 

A 

Name  of  City 
or   Borough 

Estimated 
Population  1914 

Sewerage 
System 

Estimated 

Sewage 
Population 

Metal  Works 

5? 
Paper  Mills  ? 

Laundries 

o 

Textile  Works  ™ 

Manufactures 

V. 

M                       t-i         X 

I    c      1     | 
~  -S  £     -3    ^ 

£        CC        C    W      %          P 

5  S  >!  |  1 

S    ffi    0^  0      S 

South   Norwalk 

4,450 
7,200 
200 
100 
100 
100 
400 
200 
50 

Partial 
Partial 
None 
None 
None 
None 
Factory 
Factory 
None 

4,000*    6      2 
7,000      8      2 
7,000    .... 

1 
1 

4 
6 

.     11 
3    .  . 

1      1 

1 

Norwalk   

Winnepaug     
South     Wilton     
Wilton 

Cannon 

1 

Georgetown 

100 
100 

2 

Branchville           

Sanford 

12,800 

11,200 

17     4 

2 

10 

3   11 

1      1 

1 

'Not  sewage   from  South  Norwalk  empties  into  Norwalk  Harbor. 


128 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 


THE  FIVE  MILE  RIVER. 

The  Five  Mile  River  enters  Long  Island  Sound  at  Rowayton. 
It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  23  square  miles  and  flows  through 


CONKCTICUT   STATE    BOARD  Of    HEALTH 
REPORT    TO    GENERAL   ASSEMBLY  ON    STREAM    POLLUTION 

MAP    SHOWN6  THE    DRNNAGE    AREA 
FWEMILE^NOROTON'MILL'MIAMJS  RNERS'HORSENBA  BR/GREEW1GH  CR, 


a  hilly  region  in  its  upper  portion.     The  river  is  in  fair  condition 
except  at  its  mouth  and  below  New  Canaan. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  129 

SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND  DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 

o 

o 

s§    1 

I  *=      2 

Location.  « «,    £:••->  o^       02 


ft 

0) 

8 

a 

sS 

IV  OP 

^0 

II 

a 

_0 

"3 

0 

§t! 

.253 

GPU 

0 

0 

Cu 

At    Mouth 

249 

9  718 

2:45 

22 

7? 

o 

5.58 

63 

A 

5.20 

58 

Below 

West    Norwalk 

242 

9/17 

12:10 

23 

73 

12 

6.23 

71 

A 

5.57 

64 

Below 

New    Canaan    .  .  . 

241 

9/17 

12:00 

23 

73 

3 

5.08 

58 

A 

4.75 

54 

THE  NOROTON  RIVER. 

The  Noroton  River  enters  Long  Island  Sound  between  Noroton 
and  Stam'ford.  It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  13  square  miles. 
It  flows  sluggishly  through  a  rolling  country.  There  are  no 
towns  on  this  river  but  several  highways  border  the  river  with 
scattered  houses  on  them. 


SAMPLING   STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


h 

£§ 

o 
o 

~CS 

2 

>SiH 

3 

Location 

h 

p  <B 

S^ 

x  5 
oS 

oJ 
CO 

£ 

^•g 

"S5 

^S 

^J 

0 

P  t- 

m  fl 

>  ^ 

G 

a 

4-1                            3 

II 

ft| 

a 

0 

|| 

0 

oj 
CQ 

S            B 

O>  QJ 

o>  eS 

0 

0 

cu 

At   Mouth     ,                                                  .    246 

9/18     11:50 

22 

72 

0 

2.54 

28 

A  6.20  29 

Above  R.  R.  Bridge  near  Mouth 243  9/17  2:45  25  77  0  6.06  72 

A  3.93  46 

At  Darien  and  New  Canaan  Boundary  244  9/17  4:00  23  73  15  5.57  64 

A  4.51  51 


I3O  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

THE  MILL  RIVER  (Fairfield  County). 

The  Mill  River  enters  the  Sound  at  Stamford.     It  has  a  drain- 
age area  of  about  30  square  miles.  It  flows  slowly  through  a  roll- 


STATE    s<ura>    Of    ntAUn 

StNtPUl    1SSCM81Y    ON    STREAM    POLLUTION 
MAP     SHOW!*;     5C*CR    OUTLETS 
STAMfORO         CT 


ing  well  wooded  region.  Stamford  is  about  the  only  town  from 
which  it  receives  pollution,  at  which  place  the  condition  of  the 
river  is  not  very  good. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS. 
SAMPLING  STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location. 

Sample  Number 

£ 

% 

»H 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

a 
o 

§ 

Dissolved  Oxvgen 
Farts  Per  Million 

p 

0 

2 

3 

•4-J 

<A 

m 

1 
O 

At    Month 

248 

9  718 

12  :5O     22 

72 

1 

4  2fi 

48 

A 

4. 

46 

50 

Upper 

Portion  Stamford 

253 

9/24 

9: 

00     17 

63 

4 

4 

4<i 

4*> 

A 

4. 

65 

47 

Above 

Stamford 

254 

9  724 

9  ' 

30     17 

63 

0 

7 

'H 

76 

A 

5, 

67 

58 

Below 

North  Stamford    .  .  . 

328 

11  724 

8: 

30       2 

36 

16 

7 

6"} 

*>*) 

A 

7 

12 

51 

Statistics 

of 

^ 

Manufactures. 

a 

CO 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 

H 

H  p 

| 

® 

1 
§          § 

a 
o 

si 

5  1 

§      a 

Works 

1 
a 

M 

S 

0 

1 

"3 

05  O 

mm         E 

o>P 

CQHH 

1      1 

09 

a 

O 

3 

eS 
CM 

0) 

Stamfoftf    

.   28,836 

Comnlete 

100« 

1       3 

1 

3 

2 

10 

North 

100 

Non 

o 

Tota 

1    

.  .    28,936 

100 

1       3 

1 

3 

2 

10 

THE  MIANUS  RIVER. 

The  Mianus  River  flows  into  Cos  Cob  Harbor.  It  has  a  drain- 
age area  of  about  30  square  miles.  It  is  a  sluggish  stream  flow- 
ing through  a  rolling  region  of  meadow  and  farm  land.  It  is 
badly  polluted  in  its  lower  portion  and  its  condition  is  particu- 
larly bad  at  Mianus  where  it  receives  the  wastes  from  a  large  tex- 
tile factory. 


*    Stamford   discharges   its   sewage   into   Long   Island    Sound   through    two   out- 
lets.    (See   map.) 


132  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

SAMPLING   STATIONS    AXD   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location 

(H 

| 
01 

1    1 

&           Q 

h 

I 

Temperature 
Centigrade 

Temperature 
Fahrenheit 

Colon 

Dissolved  Oxygen 
Farts  Per  Million 

Per  Cent.  Saturation 

At  Mouth   (Cos  Cob)    

259     9/24     11  :30 

20     68 

7     2  11      12 

Above  Mianus 

255     9/24     10-35 

18     64 

1.02     11 
9        0  0    0  U 

Above  Mianus   Mfg    Co 

256     9  /24     11  *00 

18     64 

0.0    0.0 
1     7  71     SO 

Below  Stanwich        

A 
258     9  /24     12  -9n 

17     63 

5.85     61 
0      6  88      70 

6.97      70 

Opposite   Stanwich 

257     9  /94     1 

i  -i=;n 

17      63 

8     65 

1          RR 

A 

6.69     68 

Name  of  City 

Oi 

rH 

p 

:!! 

or  Borough 

% 

•2 

Si 

•2     £ 

.H  03^ 

| 

| 

s§ 

S«3 

"£  3  ^O 

C 

ft 

f£  to 

sf  § 

3^  « 

H£ 

cn  w 

Hota 

03    (2 

300 

Factory 

200 

i 

Stanwich 

....        ....     100 

None 

o 

Total 

4 

)0 

200 

i 

GREENWICH  CREEK. 

Greenwich  Creek  enters  Indian  Harbor  just  east  of  Green- 
wich. It  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  10  square  miles.  At  its 
mouth  it  shows  signs  of  pollution  but  for  the  remainder  of  its 
course  its  condition  is  not  bad. 


SAMPLING  STATIONS   AND  DISSOLVED  OXYGEN. 


Location 

e  Number 

s« 

o> 

DS 

fi-2 

^  fl 

1 

l£ 

nt.  Saturation 

ft 

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39 

5 

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41 

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10.07 

77 

Above  Greenwich 

.  .    327 

11/24 

12  -40 

1 

qo 

11 

6.93 

48 

A 

10.54 

74 

THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  133 

HORSENECK  BROOK. 

Horseneck  Brook  enters  Greenwich  Harbor.  It  has  a  drain- 
age area  of  about  eight  square  miles.  It  is  badly  polluted  at  its 
mouth  but  above,  its  condition  is  not  objectionable. 

SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND  DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


§ 

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A  7.88  61 

Opposite  Greenwich  Center 325  11  /24  11 :45  2  36  2  7.69  55 

A  11.59  83 

Above  Greenwich  326  11  /24  12  :10  2  36  7  7.12  51 

A  11.59  83 


134 


REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

THE  BYRAM  RIVER. 


The  Byram  River  enters  Long  Island  Sound  at  Portchester,  and 
is  for  the  most  part  a  shallow  stream  flowing  through  a  rugged 
well  wooded  region.  It  is  tidal  for  a  distance  of  about  one  and 
one-half  miles  from  its  mouth  and  has  a  drainage  area  of  about  30 
square  miles,  part  of  which  is  in  New  York  state. 


LOMG       ISLAND      SOUND 


During  a  part  of  the  year  the  entire  flow  of  the  west  branch 
above  the  state  line  is  diverted  into  the  Bronx  River  drainage  ba- 
sin. On  the  date  of  the  examination  the  river  appeared  to  be  in 
fair  condition  except  below  Glenville,  where  the  water  was  some- 
what discolored  and  at  Portchester  where  it  was  badly  discolored 
and  carried  considerable  floating  matter. 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  135 

SAMPLING   STATIONS    AND   DISSOLVED   OXYGEN. 


Location. 

1 

£ 
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Mouth    at    Portchester    

355 

1  /8  715 

11  :00 

o 

o 

18      6.21 

42 

A 

J.  /  «-»  /  J.V 

7.38 

54 

R.   R.   Bridge   at   East   Portchester 

356 

1  /8  /15 

11:25 

0 

0 

4      6.75 

46 

A 

8.55 

58 

At  State  Line  above  East  Tort- 

Chester    

357 

1  /8  /15 

12  :10 

0 

o 

14      7  65 

52 

A 

8'.55 

58 

At    Pemberwick    

358 

1  /8  /15 

12  :50 

o 

0 

8      7.83 

53 

A 

s!o5 

58 

At  Glenville    

359 

1  /8  /15 

1  :25 

Q 

Q 

IT      6  5T 

44 

A 

13.41 

91 

One  and  one-half  miles  above 

Glenville    .... 

360 

1     /Q    /-I  K 

2.  -|  ?r 

Orr   f7  A 

pro 

J-  /o  /  J.O 

.10 

i  .  t*t 

oz 

Below   State    Line    

A 

361 

1  /8  /15 

3   .OK 

13.50 

O1          K  ACk 

92 

O7 

•  <£O 

£L     o.*y 

O  1 

A 

12.06 

82 

Name  of  City 
or  Borough 


ll 

a^ 
ig- 


Statistics 
of  Manu- 
factures. 


Portchester,    New    York     

.    15,095 

Partial 

15,000 

9 

? 

East    Portchester 

1  000 

Partial 

500 

Pemberwick     

100 

None 

o 

Glenville     

200 

Factory 

100 

1 

1 

Total     

16  395 

15  600 

1 

2 

From  the  foregoing  investigation  the  Board  concludes  that  with 
few  exceptions  all  the  streams  of  the  state  give  evidence  of  pol- 
lution. In  the  case  of  large  streams  like  the  Connecticut,  Thames 
and  Housatonic  the  flow  is  so  large  and  the  volume  is  increased 
so  greatly  by  the  influx  of  salt  water  at  each  tide,  on  those  por- 
tions which  are  tidal,  that  the  dilution  is  sufficient,  at  present,  to 
take  care  of  the  sewage  and  wastes  from  the  different  cities  on 
them,  provided  the  outlets  discharge  far  enough  out  from  the 
shore  to  provide  quick  and  adequate  mixing  and  dispersion  of  the 
wastes  and  to  permit  their  being  carried  away  by  the  tidal  cur- 
rents. Unfortunately  this  condition  is  not  true  of  most  towns ; 
the  outlets  discharge  at  the  banks  of  the  river  and  very  often 


136  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

above  low  water  mark,  the  result  being  the  formation  of  banks  of 
foul  smelling  sludge  and  solids  and  excreta  floating  on  the  sur- 
face. Only  three  of  the  large  cities,  Meriden,  New  Britain,  and 
Danbury  treat  their  sewage  before  discharging  it  into  the  streams. 
Of  the  smaller  towns  the  following  have  adopted  some  method  of 
treatment — Bristol,  Litchfield,  Manchester,  South  Manchester, 
Norfolk,  Canaan,  Ridgefield,  Rockville,  Simsbury,  Southington, 
West  Haven,  and  Greenwich.  Within  the  next  few  years  many 
towns  will  be  obliged  to  install  some  kind  of  plant  and  it  is  very 
important  that  the  type  of  such  installation  should  be  passed  on  by 
some  state  board,  in  order  that  the  rights  of  adjoining  towns  and 
the  public  at  large  be  protected.  In  nearly  every  river  the 
amount  of  oxygen  present  is  dangerously  near  the  limit  at  which 
major  fish  life  ceases  to  exist,  and  the  constant  presence  of  the  B. 
coli  is  evidence  of  contamination  by  human  or  animal  excreta. 
Most  all  the  smaller  rivers  flowing  into  the  Sound  seemed  badly 
polluted  and  in  all  the  amount  of  dissolved  oxygen  is  surprisingly 
low ;  and  former  investigations  of  the  Board  have  shown  that 
the  condition  of  many  of  the  harbors  needs  immediate  attention. 

The  streams  which  extend  beyond  the  borders  of  the  state  into 
Massachusetts  all  show  signs  of  pollution  caused  by  the  discharge 
of  sewage  and  manufacturing  wastes  from  the  towns  situated  on 
their  drainage  areas  above  the  state  line. 

Industries,  the  waste  of  which  are  particularly  responsible  for 
the  pollution  of  streams  are  bleacheries,  woolen  mills,  cotton 
mills,  breweries,  distilleries,  canning  factories,  creameries,  dye 
works,  commercial  laundries,  galvanizing  works,  galvanized  wire 
works,  gas  works,  paper  mills,  rendering  works,  saw  mills, 
slaughter  houses,  soap  works,  starch  factories,  tanneries,  vinegar 
factories,  and  wood-alcohol  works. 

The  waste  liquors  from  cotton,  flax,  hemp  and  jute  bleacheries 
are  in  general  only  slightly  polluting,  except  that  which  is  dis- 
charged from  the  kiers.  The  amount  discharged  per  1,000  pounds 
of  cloth  is  about  15,000  gallons.  The  liquor  from  cotton  waste- 
bleacheries  are  about  the  same  as  from  cotton  with  the  addition  of 
large  amounts  of  grease ;  about  24,000  gallons  are  discharged  in 
treating  1,000  pounds  of  cloth.  The  wastes  from  wool  washing 
vary  from  24  to  224  gallons  per  100  pounds  of  wool,  the  more  pol- 
luting wastes  coming  from  the  steeping-tanks.  All  of  these  wastes 
are  detrimental  to  the  purity  of  the  streams  and  before  being  dis- 
charged should  receive  treatment,  if  not  for  sanitary  reasons,  at 
least  for  economic,  for  the  value  of  the  by-products  recovered  will 
not  only  pay  the  cost  of  treatment  but  often  may  be  made  to  yield 
a  substantial  profit. 

The  greatest  source  of  pollution  from  breweries  is  the 
barrel  washings,  and  the  yeast  from  the  fermentation  tanks.  The 
barrels  often  contain  sour  beer  and  hops.  The  yeast  liquors  are 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  137 

liable  to  undergo  rapid  decomposition  with  the  formation  of  ace- 
tic, lactic  and  butryic  acids,  whose  smell  is  very  offensive.  The 
discharge  varies  from  125  to  600  gallons  per  100  gallons  of  beer 
brewed.  In  addition  to  wastes  already  mentioned  in  brewing,  dis- 
tilleries contribute  the  distilling  wash  and  distilling  of  low  wines. 
From  this  process  a  very  dark  brown  liquor  which  undergoes 
rapid  putrefaction  accompanied  by  acid  fermentation  is  dis- 
charged. 

The  wastes  from  dairies  and  creameries  is  similar  in  character 
to  dilute  milk  and  is  very  liable  to  undergo  fermentation  and  give 
off  offensive  odors  from  the  butyric  acid  formed.  If  the  flow  of 
the  stream  is  small  abnormal  growths  develop,  which  cause  great 
nuisances  when  they  decay.  The  amount  of  refuse  discharged  is 
about  400  gallons  to  every  100  gallons  of  milk  used. 

In  dyeing  most  of  the  coloring  matter  consists  of  derivatives  of 
coal  tar  except  in  indigo  dyeing.  The  principal  pollution  occurs 
when  it  is  necessary  to  change  to  another  color,  then  a  fresh  vat 
must  be  prepared  and  the  old  one  is  generally  discharged  into  the 
river.  By  use  of  improved  machinery  most  of  the  pollution  from 
the  process  of  dyeing  can  be  avoided. 

The  refuse  discharged  from  commercial  laundries  is  very  pol- 
luting and  often  much  stronger  than  domestic  sewage.  It  putri- 
fies  rapidly  and  causes  profuse  offensive  growths  in  a  stream. 

The  principal  pollution  in  galvanizing  is  the  wastes  from  the 
pickle  tank,  which  is  a  muddy  liquid  containing  large  amounts  of 
oxide  of  iron  in  suspension  and  in  solution  either  chloride  or  sul- 
phide of  iron  and  some  free  acid.  When  discharged  into  the 
stream  they  form  a  reddish  brown  deposit  on  its  bed  and  owing 
to  their  acidity  render  the  water  incapable  of  supporting  fish  or 
vegetable  life  or  of  being  used  for  industrial  purposes,  in  gal- 
vanizing wire-works  there  is  in  addition  to  the  above  the  escape 
of  milk  of  lime. 

The  spent  liquor  from  gas  works  has  a  brown  color  and  an  of- 
fensive smell.  It  contains  large  quantities  of  acidic  and  basic 
tar  oils  and  noxious  sulphur  compounds.  When  discharged  into 
a  small  stream  it  renders  the  water  poisonous  to  fish  and  cattle 
as  well  as  odorous  and  discolored.  It  also  absorbs  large  quanti- 
ties of  oxygen  and  so  interferes  with  self -purification  of  the 
streams.  The  amount  of  spent  gas  liquor  discharged  per  100 
tons  of  coal  converted  into  coke  is  about  12,000  gallons. 

The  character  of  wastes  from  paper  mills  varies  largely  with  the 
nature  of  raw  materials  used  in  manufacturing.  In  the  caustic  soda 
process,  where  the  supply  of  water  is  unlimited,  it  may  run  as  high 
as  80,000  gallons  to  each  ton  of  paper  produced  and  consists  of 
lime  liquor  from  the  boilers,  dirty  water  from  the  rag  engines  and 
excess  water  from  the  paper  machines.  In  general  the  amount  of 
wastes  varies  from  30,000  to  150,000  gallons  per  ton  of  paper.  In 


138  REPORT  ON  INVESTIGATION  OF 

the  wood  pulp  process  there  is  a  discharge  of  nearly  a  ton  of  sol- 
ids dissolved  in  the  refuse  water  for  every  ton  of  paper  pulp  pro- 
duced. All  this  may  give  rise  to  very  great  nuisance  when  dis- 
charged into  a  stream.  The  solids  in  suspension  are  deposited  on 
the  beds  of  the  river  where  they  ferment  and  decompose,  giving 
off  offensive  gases. 

The  refuse  from  the  rendering  works  is  exceedingly  polluting 
in  character.  The  waste  liquor  contains  large  quantities  of  chlo- 
ride of  calcium  in  solution,  and  the  waste  water  from  the  floors, 
vats,  and  casks  carries  large  amounts  of  animal  matter  in  solution 
and  suspension. 

The  water  used  for  cleaning  the  floors,  etc.,  in  slaughter  houses 
is  strongly  impregnated  with  organic  matter  and  is  extremely  lia- 
ble to  undergo  offensive  putrefaction  when  discharged  into  a 
stream. 

The  principal  source  of  pollution  in  the  manufacture  of  soap 
was  the  discharge  of  the  spent  lye,  but  in  the  modern  process  this 
is  saved  for  the  recovery  of  glycerine  and  the  only  possible  pol- 
lution is  the  discharge  of  waste  water  produced  by  the  evapora- 
tion-distilling process  in  reclaiming  the  glycerine  and  the  wash 
from  the  floor. 

The  refuse  from  tanneries  is  the  waste  waters  from  the 
soaks,  the  limes,  the  bates  or  puers,  the  spirit  liquors  from  the 
tan-pits  and  the  wash  water.  All  these  form  a  waste  of  the  most 
polluting  character.  The  tannin  from  the  spirit  liquor  absorbs 
oxygen  very  rapidly  and  is  very  detrimental  to  the  purity  of  the 
stream.  The  volume  of  refuse  from  tanneries  amounts  to  from 
16,000  to  30,000  gallons  to  every  250  hides  dressed. 

The  recent  increase  in  the  use  of  tar  and  oils  for  sprinkling  the 
highways  in  attempting  to  remedy  the  dust  nuisance  has  created 
another  possible  source  of  pollution  of  streams.  If  the  spraying 
is  followed  by  a  period  of  dry  weather,  pollution  is  not  likely  to 
occur,  but  if  it  is  followed  by  heavy  rains  the  soluble  matters  in 
tar  and  oils  are  washed  out,  and  should  they  reach  the  streams,  it 
would  occasion  great  destruction  of  fish  life. 

In  the  purification  of  water  by  sand  filtration,  to  prevent  clog- 
ging of  filters,  the  surface  layer  of  sand  has  to  be  removed  from 
time  to  time  and  thoroughly  washed.  This  sand-washing  water 
carries  in  suspension,  mud,  vegetable  growths,  dead  organisms  and 
bacteria,  which  if  discharged  into  a  small  stream,  may  occasion  ob- 
jectional  pollution. 

Connecticut  is  largely  a  manufacturing  state  and  on  account  of 
the  excellent  water  power  available  many  of  these  industries  are 
situated  on  the  rivers.  These  industries  are  of  great  value  to  the 
state  and  no  action  restricting  them  in  the  legitimate  use  of  the 
streams  to  dispose  of  their  wastes  should  Be  considered,  when, 
however,  their  use  of  the  stream  is  such  as  to  menace  public 


THE  POLLUTION  OF  STREAMS.  139 

health  or  offend  decency  there  should  be  no  hesitation  in  stopping 
it.  The  rights  of  the  public  should  be  supreme  *at  all  times.  But 
the  mistaken  idea  that  the  interests  of  public  health  and  manufac- 
turing industries  are  diametrically  opposed  should  be  dismissed, 
it  has  been  one  of  the  greatest  obstacles  in  preventing  the  correc- 
tion of  pollution  in  our  streams.  Each  needs  the  assistance  of 
the  other  and  they  should  work  hand  in  hand  solving  the  problem. 

It  must  be  evident  that  the  question  of  pollution  of  rivers  is  a 
very  live  one,  whether  we  look  at  it  from  the  point  of  protecting 
the  health  of  the  public  or  from  the  side  of  public  decency  and  the 
conservation  of  fish  life*.  Even  where  purification  works  have 
been  installed  it  is  of  considerable  importance  to  have  the  water 
coming  to  the  filter  as  free  from  organic  matter  as  possible,  in 
order  not  to  overload  the  filter,  and  make  the  cost  of  purification 
exceedingly  high. 

Cincinnati,  Buffalo,  Philadelphia,  New  York,  and  many  cities 
of  second  magnitude  throughout  the  country  are  studying  the 
problem  and  preparing  to  treat  their  wastes  so  they  may  be  dis- 
charged into  adjacent  bodies  of  water  without  endangering  public 
health,  or  creating  a  nuisance.  In  Connecticut  some  of  the  larger 
cities  are  working  on  the  same  problem.  Naturally  these  studies 
are  of  each  city's  particular  problem  and  generally  too  little  con- 
sideration is  given  to  the  rights  of  adjoining  towns  or  the  public  at 
large.  The  need  of  some  state  body  to  pass  upon  the  larger  prob- 
lems of  intertown  and  interstate  rights  seems  very  plain  and  from 
its  statutory  prerogatives  that  body  would  naturally  be  this  Board. 
In  accordance  with  this  assumption  and  pursuant  to  your  instruc- 
tions we  have  prepared  and  will  introduce  legislation  designed  to 
remedy  the  present  conditions  in  the  waters  of  the  state  and  pre- 
vent their  pollution  in  the  future. 

EDWARD  K.  ROOT, 

ALBERT  W.  PHILLIPS, 

LEWIS  SPERRY, 

ARTHUR  J.   WOLFF,         L  Stote  Board 


Louis  J.  PONS, 

J.   FREDERICK   JACKSON, 

JOSEPH  H.  TOWNSEND,  „ 


of  Health 


14°  INDEX. 


INDEX 


Blackberry    River    98 

Branford    River     104 

Byram    River     134-135 

Connecticut   River 10-20 

Eight    Mile    River    91 

Farmington  River 21-26 

Five  Mile  River    (Fairfield   County)    128-129 

Five  Mile  River    (Windham   County)    65-66 

French    River 66-69 

Furnace    Brook    74-75 

Greenwich    Creek    132 

Hammonassett    River    102 

Hockanum  River  39-41 

Housatonic  River 76-80 

Horseneck   Brook    133 

Mad  River   ' 27-30 

Mianus   River    131-132 

Middle    River    74-75 

Mill   River    (Fairfield    County)     130-131 

Mill  River    (New  Haven  County)    •• 111-112 

Moosup  River 64-65 

Mystic    River 100 

Nachaug  River 70-71 

Naugatuck   River    81-89 

Niantic    River    101 

Norwalk    River 124-127 

Noroton  River 129 

Oxoboxo    Brook     54 

Pachaug  River 61-63 

Park  River   35-38 

Pequabuck  River     . 31-34 

Pequonic  River    115-120 

Pomperaug  River    92 

Poquonoc   River    100 

Quinnipiac    River 105-1 10 

Quinnebaug   River    59-60 


INDEX.  141 

Roaring  Brook  42-43 

Salmon    River    46-47 

Saugatuck  River   121-123 

Scantic  River   20-21 

Sebethe  River    43-45 

Shepaug  River   93 

Shetucket  River  57-58 

Square   Pond  Brook 74~75 

Steel  Brook   90 

Still  River  (Fairfield  County) 94-97 

Still  River  (Litchfield  County)    27-30 

Ten   Mile  River    97-98 

Thames    River    48-53 

Wequetoquock  River    99 

West  River  (Guilford)    103 

West  River  (New  Haven)    113-114 

Willimantic    River    72-73 

Yantic  River  • 55-56 


142  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Branford  River.     Map  of  Drainage  Area  104 

Byram  River.     Map  of  drainage  area   34 

Connecticut  River.     At  Hartford   10-11-12 

At  Middle  Haddam 13 

At  Middletown  14 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets  at  Middletown 15 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets  at  Hartford   10 

Diagram    17 

Map  of  drainage  area  18 

Connecticut,  Map  showing  Sampling  Stations   5 

Farmington  River.     Map   of   drainage  area    23 

At  Unionville    24 

Diagram    26 

Five  Mile  River  (Windham  County).  Map  of  drainage  area  ..  65 

(Fairfield   County).   Map   of    drainage  area..  128 

French  River.     Map  of  drainage  area  67 

Diagram   69 

Furnace  Brook.     At  Stafford    74 

Greenwich  Creek.     Map  of  drainage  area 128 

Hammonassett  River.     Map  of  drainage  area  102 

Hockanum  River.     Map  of  drainage  area  39 

At  Burnside    40 

Diagram   41 

Housatonic  River.     Map  of  drainage  area  76 

At  Derby 77 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets  at  Ansonia,  Derby..  79 

Diagram    128 

Horseneck  Brook.    Map  of  drainage  area   128 

Mad  River.     Map  of  drainage  area •  • 23 

At  Winsted   27-28 

Diagram    30 

Mianus  River.     Map  of  drainage  area 128 

Mill  River  (New  Haven  County).    Map  of  drainage  area....  105 

Diagram    112 

(Fairfield  County).     Map  of  Sewer  outlets  at  Stam- 
ford   .  130 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS.  143 

Moosup  River.     Map  of  drainage  area 64 

Mystic  River.     Map  of  drainage  area 99 

Nachaug  River.     Map  of  Sewer  outlets,  Willimantic. 71 

Naugatuck  River.     Map  of  drainage  area   76 

At  Derby 81 

At  Seymour  82-83 

At  Beacon  Falls   ' 83 

At  Naugatuck  84 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets,  Naugatuck 85 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets,  Waterbury  86 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets,  Torrington   86 

Diagram    89 

Niantic  River.     Map  of  drainage  area    101 

Norwalk  River.     Map  of  Sewer  outlets,  Norwalk 124 

At  South  Norwalk 125 

At  Norwalk 125-126 

Map  of  drainage  area   121 

Noroton  River.     Map  of  drainage  area  128 

Oxoboxo  Brook.     Map  of  drainage  area   54 

Pachaug  River.     Map  of  drainage  area 61 

Diagram 63 

Park  River.     Map  of  drainage  area 35 

At  Hartford  36-37 

Pequabuck  River.     Map  of  drainage  area   23 

Map  showing  Sewer  outlets  at  Bristol....  31 

At  Bristol  32 

Diagram    34 

Pequonic  River.     Map  of  drainage  area  115 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets,  Bridgeport 116 

At   Bridgeport 117 

Photo  Yellow  Mill  Pond,  Bridgeport  ... 118 

Diagram   120 

Poquonoc  River.     Map  of  drainage  area 99 

Qtiinnipiac  River.     Map  of  drainage  area    fc 105 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets,  Meriden 106 

Photo,  Harbor  Brook,  Merrden   106 

Map  of   Sewer  outlets,  New  Haven    ......  107 

At  New  Haven    108 

Diagram    no 

Quinnebaug  River.    Diagram 60 

Roaring  Brook.     Map  of  drainage  area  42 

Saugatuck  River.     Map  of  drainage  area   121 

At  Westport  122 

Salmon  River.     Map  of  drainage  area  46 

Scantic  River.     Map  of  drainage  area  20 

Diagram    22 


144  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Sebethe  River.     Map  of  drainage  area 43 

Diagram    ! 45 

Shetucket  River.     Diagram   58 

Still  River  (Litchfield  County).     Diagram   30 

(Fairfield  County) .     At  Danbury  94 

Map  of  Sewer  outlet,  Danbury  95 

Diagram 96 

Thames  River.     Map  of  drainage  area 48 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets,  New  London  50 

Map  of  Sewer  outlets,  Norwich  51 

Diagram    53 

Wequetoquock  River.     Map  of  drainage  area   99 

West  River  (Guilford).    Map  of  drainage  area 103 

(New  Haven).     Map  of  drainage  area   105 

Diagram 114 

Willimantic  River.     Diagram    73 

Yantic  River.     Diagram ?6 


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